Roll of Honor

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Deputy Sheriff

James Francis McGrane, Jr.

Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department — Albuquerque, NM

Felonious

End of Watch March 22, 2006

Age 38

Tour of Duty 13 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 154 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 10

Incident

Deputy Sheriff James McGrane was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on Highway 337 at 12:46 am.

Unknown to Deputy McGrane, the driver of the vehicle was connected to a 2005 murder. As he approached the vehicle, Deputy McGrane was shot twice and died at the scene from his wounds.

Within minutes of Deputy McGrane calling in the stop witnesses in the area called 911 to report hearing two gunshots and seeing a white pickup flee the scene.

The suspect was a parolee who had previously served at least six years in jail on unrelated charges. The suspect was apprehended in Juarez, Mexico, on April 3rd, 2006. On June 4th, 2010 the suspect was found guilty of the killing of Deputy McGrane, tampering with evidence, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 43-1/2 years. On August 4th, 2012, he was convicted of the 2005 murder and sentenced to 28 years to be served after the expiration of his first sentence.

Deputy McGrane had served with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department for three years. He had previously served with the New Mexico State Police and United States Postal Inspection Service for a total of 10-1/2 years.

Unknown to Deputy McGrane, the driver of the vehicle was connected to a 2005 murder. As he approached the vehicle, Deputy McGrane was shot twice and died at the scene from his wounds.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, parents, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-67918019
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff McGrane gave the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Albuquerque community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff McGrane.

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

Agency

Department Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department

Type Other

Location Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, NM

Platform Identity bcso.bernalillo.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 22, 2006

Tour of Duty 13 yrs 6 mo

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; 10 mm

Deputy Sheriff James Francis McGrane, Jr. is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 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 63.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department, 4 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 36.4% of this agency's fallen.

Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department

of 11 officers

36.4% Felonious

NM — Statewide

123

of 193 officers

63.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious