Roger L. Von Amelunxen
Agency patch
Customs Officer

Roger L. Von Amelunxen

Felonious
End of Watch July 30, 1980
Age 41
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
The Vigil Panel 123 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Customs Officer Roger Von Amelunxen was shot and killed near the intersection of 72nd Street and 34th Avenue, in Queens, New York, after observing the robbery of a cab driver at 3:20 am. He was on his way home from his shift at Kennedy Airport when he intervened in the robbery even though he was off duty. A shootout ensued and Officer Von Amelunxen was struck in the heart with a .22 caliber round. The case remained unsolved until 1986 when four men were charged with his murder. Officer Von Amelunxen had served with the United States Customs Service for nine years and had previously served with the Federal Air Marshal Service.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtne6a08yjt6mdx0pq9e8
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Roger. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Customs Officer Von Amelunxen gave the United States Department of the Treasury 9 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Customs Officer Von Amelunxen.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch July 30, 1980
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 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 1980, 127 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 37th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Roger was 41. 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. Roger had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Customs Officer Roger L. Von Amelunxen

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch July 30, 1980

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 48-E

↑