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Richard Mack Latham
Agency patch
Inspector

Richard Mack Latham

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch January 28, 1984
Age 50
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
The Vigil Panel 283 · Column 1 · Line 12 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Inspector Richard Latham was shot and killed after being abducted from the Del Rio Port of Entry in Del Rio, Texas. On Friday, January 27th, 1984, four men committed a jewelry robbery in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, and crossed into the United States at the Del Rio Port of Entry. Inspector Latham inspected the van and located the stolen jewelry, prompting the men to pull out weapons and kidnap him. His body was found outside the border city of Eagle Pass, Maverick County, in a ditch about 200 yards off Highway 277 and north of Eagle Pass around noon on Saturday, January 28th, 1984. Latham, wearing his uniform, was handcuffed and had been murdered with his own service weapon. It was determined that Inspector Latham was executed with a shot to his back. Two of the men hired a taxi to drive them from Eagle Pass to Presidio. State troopers stopped the taxi near Dryden, Terrell County, about 140 miles from Eagle Pass. One of the men surrendered, and the other committed suicide by shooting himself with Inspector Latham's .357 magnum pistol. The other two men were later arrested in Mexico and charged along with the subject who had surrendered. The man who shot Inspector Latham was sentenced to life in prison and died while incarcerated. The other two were sentenced to 23 years in prison. Inspector Latham had served with the United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service for 16 years. He was survived by his three daughters, his father, two brothers, and a grandson. Inspector Latham was buried in the Westlawn Cemetery in Del Rio. His grandfather, Inspector James Wallen, was shot and killed near the same port of entry on March 6th, 1923.

Survivors

He was survived by his three daughters, his father, two brothers, and a grandson.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Inspector Latham gave the United States Department of the Treasury 16 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Latham.

— 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 January 28, 1984
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Richard is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

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

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1984, 91 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 62nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Richard was 50. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Richard had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, Richard among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Inspector Richard Mack Latham

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch January 28, 1984

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-E

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