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Inspector

Herff Alexander Carnes

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch December 4, 1932

Age 53

Tour of Duty 21 yrs

The Vigil Panel 65 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Inspector Herff Carnes succumbed to gunshot wounds he received on December 1, 1932, while attempting to apprehend suspected smugglers. Inspector Carnes and three other mounted inspectors received information from an informant of smugglers transporting illegal liquor across the Rio Grande River near Ysleta, about 13 miles downriver from El Paso. The agents were concealed so well that two smugglers in the advance guard started walking between them, creating a dangerous crossfire situation. Inspector Carnes rose and ordered the smugglers to surrender. One smuggler fired at him. The round struck his pistol, split it into two pieces, and then hit his abdomen. Inspector Carnes and the other inspectors returned fire, but the smugglers escaped into Mexico. Inspector Carnes was taken to a hospital in El Paso where he succumbed to his wounds three days later. He was survived by his wife and three children. He was buried in the Restlawn Cemetery in El Paso. Inspector Carnes was a legendary lawman along the Texas-Mexico border. His brother, Texas Ranger Private Quirl Carnes, had been shot and killed in the line of duty on July 31st, 1910. Another brother served as sheriff of Wilson County, Texas, from 1917 to 1937. Inspector Carnes joined the Texas Rangers in 1903 and rose to the rank of Sergeant. He resigned in 1911 and became a Mounted Inspector with the United States Customs Service. During his 29 years of policing the border, he was involved in numerous gun battles.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

21 years. You could have gone home.
Inspector Carnes gave the United States Department of the Treasury 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Carnes.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service

Type Federal Agency

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdtuscsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 4, 1932

Tour of Duty 21 yrs

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Herff is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1932, 210 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 8th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Herff was 53. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Herff had served 21 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded