Ronald Edwin Shores
Agency patch
Patrolman

Ronald Edwin Shores

Questa Police Department — Questa, NM
Felonious Veteran →
End of Watch November 3, 1977
Age 27
Tour of Duty 4 mo
The Vigil Panel 119 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Ronald Shores was struck and killed by a fleeing vehicle while manning a roadblock on State Road 3. Deputies from the Taos County Sheriff's Department were pursuing a stolen car and requested assistance from the Questa Police Department. Patrolman Shores had positioned his car across both lanes of a two-lane bridge. The suspect's vehicle struck the patrol car and then struck Patrolman Shores, killing him. The 20-year-old man, a diagnosed schizophrenic, fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later. He was sent to a state mental hospital to determine his sanity. On February 22, 1979, he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 5 years probation. Conditions of his probation were that he be transferred to a Pennsylvania mental hospital so he could be near his mother. He was to remain in the hospital until medical professionals said he could leave. Patrolman Shores, a U.S.

Survivors

Navy veteran who served as a crewman on the USS Denebola AF56, had been with the agency for four months and was survived by his wife, son, and father.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-2A4F5576
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.
Patrolman Shores served with the Questa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Questa 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

Location Questa, NM
Platform Identity qpd.taos.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 3, 1977
Tour of Duty 4 mo
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile
Offender Convicted of manslaughter

Military Service

Ronald Edwin Shores served in the Other (1969–1973) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Ronald Edwin Shores 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%.

Questa Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
NM — Statewide
123
of 193 officers
63.7% 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. Ronald Edwin Shores'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 Ronald Edwin Shores Compares

Age at End of Watch
27
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Convicted of manslaughter

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ronald Edwin Shores is highlighted in Nov.

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. Ronald Edwin Shores was killed by automobile.

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