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Patrolman

Stephen A. Sandlin

Mountainair Police Department — Mountainair, NM

Felonious

End of Watch May 7, 1988

Age 21

Tour of Duty 2 mo

Badge 4

The Vigil Panel 133 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Patrolman Stephen Sandlin was shot and killed inside the Mountainair Police Department building at approximately 7:30 pm. It is believed that he was murdered in retaliation for a large narcotics arrest he had made two days earlier. Patrolman Sandlin had only served with the Mountainair Police Department for two months.

Survivors

He was survived by his son and girlfriend.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-9592FE1A
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.
Patrolman Sandlin served with the Mountainair Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Mountainair community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Sandlin.

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

Agency

Department Mountainair Police Department

Location Mountainair, NM

Platform Identity mounpd.torrance.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 7, 1988

Tour of Duty 2 mo

Age 21

Badge Number 4

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Never apprehended

Patrolman Stephen A. Sandlin 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%.

Mountainair Police Department

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. Stephen A. Sandlin'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 Stephen A. Sandlin Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

0.2

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Never apprehended

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Stephen A. Sandlin is highlighted in May.

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. Stephen A. Sandlin was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518