Border Patrol Inspector James Martin Kirchner
United States Department of Justice - Border Patrol
U.S. Government
End of Watch: Monday, November 15, 1954

Biographical Info
Age: 22
Tour of Duty: 1 week
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: Monday, November 15, 1954
Incident Location: Texas
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available

Inspector Kirchner suffered a fatal heart attack while he and Inspector James Dove, his training officer, were investigating the sighting of three suspicious men walking near the Mexican border near El Paso, Texas. Inspector Dove sent Kirchner to cut off the suspects at the top of the mountain. Inspector Dove intercepted the three men and determined they were U.S. citizens. He signaled Inspector Kirchner to return to the scene. After Inspector Kirchner failed to return his partner began to search for him. Kirchner was found dead on the mountainside. It was determined he died of a heart attack despite having completed a rigorous physical examination prior to joing the agency.

Inspector Kirchner had been with the agency for one week. He was survived by his wife. He was buried in Carthage, Missouri.