Policeman Mario V. Deiro Los Angeles Police Department California Thursday, December 31, 1942  Leave a Reflection  Return to Memorial  Print This Page  Continue Building Book  Page: 1 of 1

Detective Lieutenant Deiro - Your face popped up on the rotating memorials on the odmp webpage. I knew there was more to your story so I looked and found it. The following is taken from a article written by retired LAPD Sgt. Glynn Martin, the President of the Los Angeles Police Historical Society. I hope this both corrects and adds any details regarding your loss. Continue to rest in peace, Sir.
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There were simpler times in Los Angeles, and in police work. Days when there were far fewer reports to complete, fewer notifications to make and still the job was done. Progress, it seems, means more paperwork. We know this, because we have the paperwork, at least some of it. These pages tell us the story of a Christmas Eve 70 years ago. Unfortunately, it connects us to a New Year’s Eve tragedy some 65 years ago. Mario Deiro worked during this simpler time. He joined the LAPD in 1934 and by all appearances was an accomplished professional by the time of his death eight years later. News accounts list some of the cases Deiro worked. He is credited with saving a suicidal nurse. He was a young homicide detective when there were few. He worked headline cases, then unfortunately became one. Some of his reports are on file at the historical society. One of them details the officer-involved shooting he took part in on Christmas Eve 1937. More shots were fired than paragraphs were written.

Mario Deiro, a detective lieutenant, wearing plainclothes stopped to investigate the report of a man down in the gutter. It was the final day of 1942, and he found one, in front of a beer parlor no less. Deiro checked the report and seemingly wrote off the man’s presence to the seasonal revelry associated with ringing in the new year. As he began to drive off, Deiro was engaged by a suspect who claimed that Deiro appeared to be running over the downed citizen. Words were exchanged and a confrontation between Deiro and a small group ensued. Deiro dropped his drawn weapon. As he stooped to recover the handgun, Deiro’s assailant fired multiple times. One of the rounds struck Deiro in the mouth, killing him instantly. A pair of radio car officers heard the shots and pursued the fleeing suspect and his confederates. Three were captured, one of whom admitted to firing the fatal shot. The murder weapon was recoverd from the suspect before his booking at the jail ward. Seems he had bumped his head while entering the police car.

While the capture and confession were fairly simple, the trial was a different matter. Deiro’s case was ultimately complicated by the fact that he was in plainclothes. The suspect based his defense on a claim that Deiro, an armed man in a suit, was going to kill him. The jury convicted, but of a lesser offense, manslaughter.

Ofcr. K. Moreland (ret. Sgt.)
Monument, CO PD (ret. LAPD)
2009-04-08

Rest in peace, dear cousin, with all the honored ones who like you lost their lives doing their duty.

Guido R. Deiro
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police
2008-07-06

We are the LAPD ! We do not leave any Men or Women behind, and we do not forget any LAPD Brother or Sister, who may have fallen in the line – of – duty.

PM Deiro, may Your Soul Rest-In-Peace.

Maj M. B. Parlor
USMC / LAPD
2007-12-31

YOU ARE REMEMBERED TODAY AND THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR SERVICE

VANDENBERGHE
MANCHESTER, N H
2007-12-28

The radio program Dragnet dedicated its 6-17-1949 show to Sgt. Mario V. Deiro.

John Schroeder

2005-12-23

Your sacrifice is always remembered.

Former Police Officer Guido Deiro
North Las Vegas Police Dept.
2005-06-20

Gone but never forgotten. Thank you for making the city of Los Angeles a safer place to live, You are a true HERO.
GOD BLESS YOU, REST IN PEACE

TMP

2004-07-21