Jose Vela

Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office — Edinburg, TX

Felonious

End of Watch April 5, 1919

Age 34

The Vigil Panel 36 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Jose Vela was shot and killed during a shootout with two auto thieves.

The subjects fled into the brush along the Rio Grande River and engaged deputies in a shootout throughout the night. Deputy Vela was shot and killed before one of the thieves was arrested. It is not known if the second subject was ever arrested.

Deputy Vela was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Deputy Vela was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-A6D1B254
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.
Deputy Sheriff Vela served with the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Edinburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Vela.

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

Agency

Department Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

Location Edinburg, TX

Platform Identity hcso.hidalgo.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 5, 1919

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Arrested

Deputy Sheriff Jose Vela 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious