Trooper II Jose M. Cavazos, Virginia State Police, Virginia

Trooper II Jose M. Cavazos

Virginia State Police, Virginia

End of Watch Wednesday, February 24, 1993

Jose M. Cavazos

Trooper Jose Cavazos was shot and killed during a traffic stop on an exit ramp from southbound I-95 in the Dale City area of Prince William County. During the traffic stop the passenger of the vehicle opened fire with a 9 mm handgun, striking Trooper Cavazos six times.

Two men were arrested in connection with his murder. The shooter was sentenced to death and was executed on March 16, 2000. The overpass at the Dale City interchange where Trooper Cavazos was killed was named in his honor in January 1998.

Trooper Cavazos had served with the Virginia State Police for 12 years. He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

Bio

Age 50
Tour 12 years
Badge 772

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; 9 mm
Offender Executed in 2000

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Trooper Cavazos was also an Army reservist. I served with him. We met that Sunday for a planning meeting in preparation for the following month's Army drill. He was a great man. We worked late into the evening of hours last day on Earth and he told me he needed to get home to go to work on the late night shift as a policeman. The next morning I went to work at my civilian job, picked up the paper and saw his picture on the first page of the Washington Post as I recall. I didn't recognize him at first, but something about the picture looked familiar. I read the story and was deeply saddened, still not realizing who it was. Suddenly the shocking reality hit me like an explosion, wrenching out my guts. I had just been with him about 12 hours prior. What a dedicated, noble person he was.

CW4 Daniel Alexander
USAR (Ret)

April 4, 2018