Rickie C. Finley
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Special Agent

Rickie C. Finley

Accident
End of Watch May 20, 1989
Age 37
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Special Agent Rickie Finley was killed in a plane crash as he was returning from a jungle operation, known as Operation Snowcap, to a base camp in Lima, Peru. The plane crashed in a remote area of the Andes Mountain while returning to Lima from the Huallaga Valley. Nine Peruvian passengers of the plane were also killed in the crash. Agent Finley had served with the Drug Enforcement Administration for five years and had previously served with the North Little Rock Police Department in Arkansas for for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Agent Finley gave the United States Department of Justice 11 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Finley.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Arlington, Tarrant County, TX
Platform Identity usdjdeafed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 20, 1989
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Rickie is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1989, 84 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 21st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Rickie was 37. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Rickie had served 11 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - Drug Enforcement Administration has 38 officers remembered here, Rickie among them.

VI

Where

Special Agent Rickie C. Finley

United States Department of Justice - Drug Enforcement Administration · End of Watch May 20, 1989

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 49-W

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