Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona
End of Watch: Sunday, February 7, 1971
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: 409
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 5, 1971
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Officer Don Beckstead was shot and killed after stopping a suspect who had just shot and killed Officer James Keeton minutes earlier.
Officer Keeton had stopped the man for a traffic violation on I-40, just prior to the New Mexico border, and a struggle ensued. The suspect gained control of Officer Keeton's weapon and shot him with it. It is believed that Officer Beckstead did not know that the man had just shot and killed Officer Keeton when he stopped the suspect a second time.
The man was wanted for raping and murdering a young girl in California. After shooting both officers the man murdered another citizen before being shot and killed by New Mexico State Police officers.
Officer Beckstead was survived by his wife and two sons.