January 2020 Blues Vol 36 No 1

Supervisory Deputy US

Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Norman D. Merkel End of Watch: Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Age :45 Tour: 21 yrs Badge: 3019 Military Veteran Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Norm Merkel suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in his agency’s wellness program inside the United States Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas. Deputy Marshal Merkel was a U.S. Army veteran. He had served with the United States Marshals Service for 18 years and was the commander of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force. He had previously served with the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, North Dakota, for three years. He is survived by his mother and two sisters. Deputy Sheriff - Comal County Ray Elwin Horn, III End of Watch: Thursday., January 17, 2019 Age :44 Tour: 11 yrs. Badge: 471 Military Veteran Deputy Sheriff Ray Horn suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after participating in his agency’s mandatory physical fitness testing. He had completed the testing and left the facility when he suffered the heart attack while driving his patrol car near the intersection of FM 3009 and Dimrock, in Schertz, at 5:15 pm. His patrol car then collided with two other vehicles at the intersection. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Deputy Horn was a U.S Air Force veteran and had served with the Comal County Sheriff’s Office for 11- 1/2 years. He is survived by his wife. Border Patrol Agent Donna Doss End of Watch: Saturday., February 2, 2019 Age :49 Tour: 16 yrs. Badge: A200 Border Patrol Agent Donna Doss was struck and killed by a vehicle on the south service road of I-20 near mile marker 276, between Tye and Merkel, Texas. She had responded to the location to assist a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper determine the status of a subject believed to be in the country illegally. Agent Doss had served with the United States Border Patrol for 16 years and was assigned to the Del Rio Sector. She is survived by her husband, two stepsons, parents, brother, and sister. Police Officer - Midland Police Nathan Hayden Heidelbergl End of Watch: Tuesday, March 5, 2019 Age :28 Tour: 5 yrs Badge: 180 Police Officer Nathan Heidelberg was shot and killed while responding a burglary alarm at a residence at 3306 Eagle Cove in Midland. Officer Heidelberg, a probationary officer he was training, and two other officers had responded to the alarm call at 2:30 am. They were at the open front door making loud announcements identifying themselves when the homeowner opened fire toward the flashlight Officer Heidelberg was holding. Officer Heidelberg was struck by a round above his vest. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds at 8:30 am. Deputy Sheriff - El PasoCounty S.O. Peter Herrera End of Watch: Sunday, March 24, 2019 Age :35 Tour: 11 yrs. Badge: 4928 Deputy Sheriff Peter Herrera succumbed to wounds sustained when he was shot after pulling over a vehicle in San Elizario at 1:50 am. He had stopped the vehicle for a registration violation near the corner of Chicken Ranch Road and Socorro Road. He approached the car and asked the driver to step out. As the driver exited the vehicle he fired 15 rounds, striking Deputy Herrera multiple times. Deputy Herrara did not have an opportunity to draw his own weapon.The driver and the passenger then fled the scene in the vehicle, but it stalled out several blocks away. The two then fled on foot but were located and apprehended a short time later by responding deputies. The driver was charged with capital murder and the passenger was also charged with other crimes in connection with Deputy Herrara’s murder. Police Officer - Grand Praire Albert Ramirez Castaneda, Jr. End of Watch: Friday, June 7, 2019 Age :38 Tour: 11 yrs. Badge: 472 Police Officer AJ Castaneda was struck and killed by a vehicle while running radar on the President George Bush Turnpike, near Dickey Road, at 10:30 am. A 17-year-old driver lost control of his vehicle and struck Officer Castaneda, throwing him off the elevated roadway. Officer Castaneda was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officer Castaneda was a U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He had served with the Grand Prairie Police Department for five years and had previously served with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office for six years. He is survived by two children. A civilian and members of the U.S. Border Patrol and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office provided aid to Deputy Herrera. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition where he succumbed to his wounds two days later. 46 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 47