Larry L. Wetterling
Agency patch
Officer

Larry L. Wetterling

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Felonious
End of Watch March 9, 1973
Age 30
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Badge 5966
The Vigil Panel 111 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Larry Wetterling was shot and killed when he stopped to help a motorist with a flat tire on Interstate 15. He did not know that the motorist was a convicted felon with a stolen car. The felon shot Officer Wetterling and fled in his patrol car. A few miles away, he crashed into an embankment and then ran to a nearby gas station, where he shot and killed the attendant. During a police search, the suspect shot and killed Lieutenant Alfred Stewart of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and wounded a civilian ride-along. A passerby, who witnessed the shooting, shot and wounded the suspect. The suspect was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. His conviction was later overturned and commuted to life. He died in prison in 2014. Officer Wetterling had served with the California Highway Patrol for six years. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, parents, and two sisters. A portion of I-15 was renamed the CHP Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, parents, and two sisters.

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 Wetterling gave the California Highway Patrol 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Wetterling.

— 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 March 9, 1973
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 30
Badge Number 5966
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Larry 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 1973, 171 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 17th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Larry was 30. 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. Larry had served 6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Larry L. Wetterling

California Highway Patrol · End of Watch March 9, 1973

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 56-W

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