Frederick Albert Riggenbach
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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Frederick Albert Riggenbach served in the Navy (1979â1981) before joining law enforcement.
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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frederick Albert Riggenbach's cause is highlighted.
How Frederick Albert Riggenbach Compares
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.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Frederick Albert Riggenbach was killed by shotgun.