Richard David Clarke
Agency patch
Border Patrol Inspector

Richard David Clarke

Felonious
End of Watch December 18, 1950
Age 23
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 87 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Border Patrol Inspector Richard Clarke was stabbed to death while transporting an illegal alien in El Paso, Texas. Inspector Clarke and his partner had arrested the man for entering the United States illegally. They were transporting him to the Immigration Service headquarters in El Paso along Stanton Street. As they approached 7th Avenue the prisoner suddenly produced a knife and stabbed Inspector Clarke in the heart from the back seat. The man then grabbed the other inspector's duty weapon. The other inspector, who had been driving the vehicle, then struggled with the suspect in the backseat and held him until other officers arrived. Inspector Clarke was able to exit the vehicle but collapsed on the street. The suspect was charged with murder. On February 7, 1951, he was ruled insane and committed to a mental institution in Springfield where he died in 1954. Inspector Clarke had served with the United States Border Patrol for one year. He was survived by his wife. He was buried in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Border Patrol Inspector Clarke gave the United States Department of Justice 1 year.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Border Patrol Inspector Clarke.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdjinsusbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 18, 1950
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Richard 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1950, 66 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 109th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Richard was 23. 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. Richard had served 1 year; 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. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol has 68 officers remembered here, Richard among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Border Patrol Inspector Richard David Clarke

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol · End of Watch December 18, 1950

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 1-E

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