Kathleen Garcia
Agency patch
Patrolwoman

Kathleen Garcia

Denver Police Department — Denver, CO
Felonious
End of Watch March 28, 1981
Age 24
Tour of Duty 1 mo
Badge 8040
The Vigil Panel 273 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Patrolwoman Kathleen Garcia was shot and killed following her shift in District One. Patrolwoman Garcia was sitting in her patrol car in front of her house when someone approached the driver's side door; after a struggle the assailant shot her in the head, severing her spinal cord. The suspect fled the scene as Patrolwoman Garcia tried to reach her home. She collapsed in the yard and was taken to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to her injuries later that day. Patrolwoman Garcia's service weapon was missing from the scene, and it is believed that the suspect shot her at close range. A neighbor was tried for her murder but was acquitted, and the case remains unsolved.

Survivors

Patrolwoman Garcia had served with the Denver Police Department for only six weeks and was survived by her mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
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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.
Patrolwoman Garcia served with the Denver Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Denver community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolwoman Garcia.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Denver, Denver County, CO
Platform Identity dpd.denver.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 28, 1981
Tour of Duty 1 mo
Age 24
Badge Number 8040
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Kathleen 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 1981, 126 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 39th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Kathleen was 24. 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. Kathleen had served 0.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where she 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%. 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

Denver Police Department has 74 officers remembered here, Kathleen among them.

Across the years

Patrolwoman Kathleen Garcia

Denver Police Department · End of Watch March 28, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-W

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