Type of Officer: Deputy Sheriff
Jurisdiction: Ford County
County: Ford
Death Date: January 3, 1922
Added to Memorial: 2023
Circumstances of Death: Gunshot Wound
James Lucero, age 49, served as a deputy sheriff with the Ford County Sheriff’s Office from October 19, 1921, until his death on January 3, 1922. Deputy Lucero also served as a special officer with the Santa Fe Railway. On January 2, 1922, Deputy Lucero responded to a death threat call, subsequently escorting the intoxicated suspect home. Shortly after arriving at the suspect’s home, the individual became violent. The inebriated suspect pulled a gun, shooting Deputy Lucero in the head at close range. Deputy Lucero succumbed to his gunshot wound the following day, January 3, 1922. Arrested and convicted of second degree murder, the suspect was sentenced to the Kansas State Penitentiary. At the time of his death Deputy Lucero was survived by three young children.
Panel: 19