W. D. "Kechi" Johnson

Grant County Sheriff's Office — Silver City, NM

Felonious

End of Watch August 27, 1900

The Vigil Panel 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Chief Deputy Kechi Johnson was shot and killed when he was ambushed along Whitewater Creek in the Upper Gila section of Grant County.

He had arrested a cattle thief while he and another deputy were trailing a group of cattle thieves who had been operating in the area. He separated from the other deputy in order to take the prisoner to the jail at Silver City. While en route he was ambushed by one of the man's companions.

After Chief Deputy Johnson was murdered the prisoner went to a nearby ranch, told the rancher, and then fled.

Chief Deputy Johnson was survived by his wife and four children.

Survivors

Chief Deputy Johnson was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-06B5AB24
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief Deputy Johnson served with the Grant County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Silver City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief Deputy Johnson.

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

Agency

Department Grant County Sheriff's Office

Location Silver City, NM

Platform Identity gcso.grant.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 27, 1900

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Chief Deputy W. D. "Kechi" Johnson 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 NM, 123 of 193 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.7% of this state's fallen. That is 9.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Grant County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Grant County Sheriff's Office

of 4 officers

100% Felonious

NM — Statewide

123

of 193 officers

63.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious