Amador County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch: Sunday, August 12, 1855
Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 1 year
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 12, 1855
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Not available
Sheriff Phoenix was shot and killed in Tuolumne County after having chased several Mexican bandits from Amador County who had raided, sacked, and killed six citizens in Drytown. The incident became known as the Rancheria Massacre. Twenty Mexicans were later captured and lynched, though most if not all had nothing to do with the massacre.
Sheriff Phoenix was killed near Chinese Camp. He was the first sheriff of Amador County.