Robert W. Beckwith
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Robert W. Beckwith

Felonious
End of Watch July 19, 1878
Age 28
The Vigil Panel 6 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Robert Beckwith was shot and killed during a standoff with outlaws at a local store. During the incident Deputy Beckwith stepped into the open and offered no harm to the outlaws who would surrender.

Instead, he was met with a hail of gunfire and fatally wounded. The leader of the gang was later shot and killed by other deputies.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-BEB32186
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

148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Beckwith 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

Location Carrizozo, NM
Platform Identity lcso.lincoln.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 19, 1878
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Shot and killed

Deputy Sheriff Robert W. Beckwith 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 Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, 8 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 88.9% of this agency's fallen.

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office
8
of 9 officers
88.9% 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. Robert W. Beckwith'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 Robert W. Beckwith Compares

Age at End of Watch
28
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert W. Beckwith is highlighted in Jul.

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. Robert W. Beckwith 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