Merrel L. Kissinger
Agency patch
Officer

Merrel L. Kissinger

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Felonious
End of Watch February 14, 1965
Age 39
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Badge 1134
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Merrel Kissinger was shot and killed by a prisoner he had just arrested for drunk driving on U.S. Highway 101 near Oceanside. During the transport to the San Diego County Jail, the suspect opened fire through the patrol car's screen with a .25 caliber handgun that was concealed when he was searched by another officer. The suspect was apprehended after failing to break out of the patrol car when the car crashed. The 35-year-old suspect, father of 13 children, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on May 14, 1965. He was a free man in 1978. Officer Kissinger had served with the California Highway Patrol for 14 years.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
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.
Officer Kissinger gave the California Highway Patrol 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Kissinger.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 14, 1965
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 39
Badge Number 1134
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Merrel 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 1965, 78 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 89th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Merrel was 39. 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. Merrel had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

California Highway Patrol has at least 120 officers remembered here, Merrel among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Merrel L. Kissinger

California Highway Patrol · End of Watch February 14, 1965

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 28-E

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