United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Monday, November 15, 1954
Age: 22
Tour of Duty: 2 weeks
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: November 15, 1954
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Border Patrol Inspector James Kirchner suffered a fatal heart attack while he and his training officer were investigating the sighting of three suspicious men walking near the Mexican border on Mount Cristo Rey in New Mexico.
The training officer sent Inspector Kirchner to cut off the suspects at the top of the mountain. The training officer intercepted the three men and determined they were U.S. citizens. He then signaled Inspector Kirchner to return to the scene. After Inspector Kirchner failed to return his partner began to search for him and found him dead near the railroad tracks.
It was determined he died of a heart attack despite having completed a rigorous physical examination prior to joining the agency.
Inspector Kirchner had served with the United States Border Patrol for two weeks. He was survived by his wife. He was buried in Carthage, Missouri.