James Carlysle

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office — Carrizozo, NM

Accident

End of Watch November 27, 1880

Age 20

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Deputy James Carlysle was shot and killed after leading a posse to capture the notorious Billy the Kid and his gang. After the gang had fired shots another deputy, Deputy Carlysle lead a posse on a 40 mile chase. Deputy Carlysle entered the saloon where Billy the Kid and his gang were hiding to talk with them. In exchange one of Billy the Kid's gang was taken hostage by Deputy Carlysle's posse. After Deputy Carlysle did not return the posse threatened to kill their hostage if Deputy Carlysle was not returned. A shot was fired and Deputy Carlysle, thinking the posse had just killed their hostage, jumped from the window of the saloon, only to be shot by members of his own posse who mistook him for one of the outlaws. Billy the Kid was later shot and killed. The outlaw gang was responsible for the murders of several other law enforcement officers over the course of several years.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-A3E2C071
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

146 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Carlysle served with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Carrizozo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Lincoln County Sheriff's Office

Location Carrizozo, NM

Platform Identity lcso.lincoln.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 27, 1880

Age 20

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Deputy Sheriff James Carlysle is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NM, 59 of 193 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.6% of this state's fallen.

At Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 9 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 11.1% of this agency's fallen.

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office

of 9 officers

11.1% Accident

NM — Statewide

of 193 officers

30.6% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident