Carlos David Ortiz
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Carlos David Ortiz

Illness
End of Watch August 31, 2021
Age 64
Tour of Duty 25 yrs 4 mo
The Vigil Panel 176 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Carlos Ortiz died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Deputy Ortiz served with the Colorado County Sheriff's Office for over 15 years and had over 25 years of service.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Deputy Sheriff Carlos David Ortiz died on August 31, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 64.

He is one of 884 officers honored here.

Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.

Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and three grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-264F4F55
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

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Deputy Sheriff Ortiz gave the Colorado County Sheriff's Office 25 years.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Ortiz.

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

Agency

Location Columbus, TX
Platform Identity ccso.colorado.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 2021
Tour of Duty 25 yrs 4 mo
Age 64
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

Deputy Sheriff Carlos David Ortiz is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 204 of 2,421 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 8.4% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

Colorado County Sheriff's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% Illness
TX — Statewide
204
of 2,421 officers
8.4% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Carlos David Ortiz'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 Carlos David Ortiz Compares

Age at End of Watch
64
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
25.3
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Carlos David Ortiz is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285