Clayton Police Department, New Mexico
End of Watch: Thursday, July 19, 1973
Age: 55
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 18, 1973
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to ten years
Sergeant Emilio Mestas was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance caused by a large group of teenagers.
Several subjects had led officers in a vehicle pursuit and led them to a home on Oak Street where approximately 40 teenagers had been causing a problem all night. As several officers got out of their patrol car, one of the teenagers opened fire, striking Sergeant Mestas in the head. He was taken to Northwest Texas Hospital, where he succumbed to his wound the following morning.
The suspect was apprehended, convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and sentenced to ten years in jail.
Sergeant Mestas was a United States Army WWII veteran and had been with the Clayton Police Department for 13 years. He was survived by his wife and nine children.