Louis Pena

Coral Gables Police Dept. — Coral Gables, FL

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch April 2, 1978

Age 42

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 119 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Officer Louis Pena was shot and killed after stopping a stolen car where the driver had just run a red light. Officer Pena performed a routine traffic stop, unaware that the vehicle was stolen by a parolee. He remained in his patrol car with his K-9, "Abe", as another officer parked on the opposite side of the road as a backup. The driver of the stolen vehicle approached Officer Pena and refused to produce identification, giving a false name. The suspect returned to the vehicle multiple times while Officer Pena communicated the details over his radio. When dispatch gave Officer Pena the name of the vehicle's owner, the suspect returned to the vehicle to talk to the passenger. As the passenger exited the vehicle, the suspect returned and shot Officer Pena through the patrol car's open window, striking him in the neck. The suspect then turned and shot the other officer, who was saved by his vest. Officer Pena was able to radio that he had been shot. When other officers and paramedics arrived, K-9 Abe was guarding him. Officer Pena was taken to Coral Gables Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds about an hour later. Both suspects were later apprehended in Deerfield Beach. The shooter was tried twice, and both times convicted and sentenced to death. After the U.S. Supreme Court remanded the second sentencing, he was sentenced to death for a third time in 1991, thirteen years after the murder. A subsequent appeal was denied by the Florida Supreme Court in 2001, and his death sentence was upheld. The suspect was put to death by lethal injection on September 28, 2011. The passenger was sentenced to 10 years for his involvement in the murder. Three years after his release from prison, he was convicted of unrelated charges and returned to prison. Officer Pena was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Coral Gables Police Department for 12 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, three daughters, parents, and two siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-906BAFB1
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.
Police Officer Pena gave the Coral Gables Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Coral Gables community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Coral Gables Police Dept.

Location Coral Gables, FL

Platform Identity corapd.miamidade.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 2, 1978

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .380 caliber

Offender Executed

Military Service

Louis Pena served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Louis Pena 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Coral Gables Police Dept., 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.

Coral Gables Police Dept.

of 9 officers

77.8% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious