Border Patrol Inspector James Martin Kirchner

James Martin Kirchner

Inspector Kirchner suffered a fatal heart attack while he and Inspector James Dove, his training officer, were investigating the sighting of three suspicious men walking near the Mexican border near El Paso, Texas. Inspector Dove sent Kirchner to cut off the suspects at the top of the mountain. Inspector Dove intercepted the three men and determined they were U.S. citizens. He signaled Inspector Kirchner to return to the scene. After Inspector Kirchner failed to return his partner began to search for him. Kirchner was found dead on the mountainside. It was determined he died of a heart attack despite having completed a rigorous physical examination prior to joing the agency.
Inspector Kirchner had been with the agency for one week. He was survived by his wife. He was buried in Carthage, Missouri.