Frederick Albert Riggenbach
Agency patch
Sergeant

Frederick Albert Riggenbach

Felonious Veteran →
End of Watch January 26, 2013
Age 52
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Badge T506
The Vigil Panel 162 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Louisiana Weapon: Shotgun Offender: Declared insane

Sergeant Rick Riggenbach was shot and killed after he and two St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office deputies responded to reports of a mobile home fire and an armed subject on Flatown Road, near Charenton, shortly after 9:00 am. The fire was reported just off of tribal land about one-quarter mile from a Chitimacha-owned casino.

When Sergeant Riggenbach arrived at the scene, the subject shot him with a shotgun, fatally wounding him. The subject then opened fire on the two St. Mary Parish deputies as they arrived at the scene moments later. Both deputies were critically wounded. The subject, who was also wounded at some point during the incident, was taken into custody by responding officers and transported to a local hospital.

After the house fire was extinguished, the body of its owner was discovered in the debris. The subject who started the fire was a neighbor with a history of mental illness.

On November 26, 2014, the suspect, 49, was declared insane and committed to a mental institution.

Sergeant Riggenbach was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department for 4-1/2 years. He had previously served 10-1/2 years with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, three daughters, and grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CHI-TR-81470CA2
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Riggenbach gave the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Charenton community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Charenton, LA
Platform Identity chitpd.nn.tribal.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 26, 2013
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 52
Badge Number T506
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun
Offender Declared insane

Military Service

Frederick Albert Riggenbach served in the Navy (1979–1981) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant Frederick Albert Riggenbach is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In LA, 364 of 595 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.2% of this state's fallen. That is 7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Chitimacha Tribal Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
LA — Statewide
364
of 595 officers
61.2% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frederick Albert Riggenbach's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Frederick Albert Riggenbach Compares

Age at End of Watch
52
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
15
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Declared insane

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Frederick Albert Riggenbach is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Frederick Albert Riggenbach was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location