Wall of Honor

Joshua Arthur supported the mission of the DEA in many roles. Beginning as a contractor for the El Paso Intelligence Center in 2002, IA Arthur served in roles with the Data Management Unit, the Asset Forfeiture Unit, the Asset Identification Unit, and then finally with the Document Exploitation Program at the DEA El Paso Division. Tragically, an accident involving industrial road debris killed IA Arthur as he was returning to his office to process evidence from a warrant. Read more >

On May 16, 2022, Jody Wayne Cash, Chief Deputy of the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office in Murray, Kentucky, and a Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer in Paducah, Kentucky, was fatally shot in front of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office while interviewing a suspect. During the interview, the suspect requested to smoke a cigarette. Task Force Officer Cash and a colleague accommodated the request and escorted him outside. While smoking, the suspect produced a concealed handgun and fired it toward Task Force Officer Cash, fatally striking him. Law enforcement returned fire, killing the suspect. Read more >

On October 4, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Michael G. Garbo, investigators from DEA’s Phoenix Field Division, and Tucson Police Department officers were conducting interdiction operations on an Amtrak train in Tucson, Arizona. Special Agent Garbo was shot multiple times during the interdiction and succumbed to his wounds. He was a 16-year veteran of DEA. Read more >

On January 26, 2016, Stephen C. Arnold, a detective with the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office and a Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer, was executing a federal search warrant at a residence in New Orleans with investigators from DEA’s New Orleans Field Division. During the search, Task Force Officer Arnold was shot multiple times and rushed to a hospital. After more than five years of critical medical care, Task Force Officer Arnold succumbed to his injuries on May 23, 2021, remaining always a hero dedicated to his colleagues, friends, and family. Read more >

On November 4, 2019, Jorge R. DelRio, a Dayton, Ohio, police officer and a 19-year Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer, along with other members of the DEA Dayton Resident Office were executing a federal narcotics search warrant at a residence in Dayton. During the search, Task Force Officer DelRio was shot twice and eventually succumbed to his injuries on November 7, 2019. Read more >

On August 6, 2015, Washington State Patrol Detective and Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officer Brent L. Hanger was participating in a joint WSP and DEA marijuana eradication effort on public lands outside of Yakima, Washington. This operation was conducted as part of the Seattle, Washington Field Division’s Domestic Cannabis Eradication and Suppression Program. TFO Hanger was hiking with other members of the Reconnaissance and Arrest Team following a tip about a suspected large-scale outdoor grow operation when he suffered chest pains, which required immediate medical attention. Attempts by on-scene medical personnel to revive TFO Hanger proved unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead on the scene. Read more >

Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Terry Watson was murdered on June 21, 2013, during a robbery attempt in Bogota, Colombia. Special Agent Watson was assigned to the DEA Cartagena, Colombia Resident Office at the time of the incident and was on official travel to Bogota as part of a maritime drug smuggling investigation. After leaving colleagues at a restaurant en route to his hotel, Special Agent Watson hailed a cab and, after entering the cab, was stabbed by members of a robbery crew. He fled the cab but collapsed a short distance away. Bystanders came to his aid, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Read more >

Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Forrest N. Leamon was killed on October 26, 2009, when the U.S. military helicopter he was in crashed while returning from a joint counternarcotics mission in western Afghanistan. Special Agent Leamon was a member of DEA’s foreign-deployed Advisory and Support Team Echo, assigned to Afghanistan. He was 37 years of age at the time of his death. Read more >

Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Chad L. Michael was killed on October 26, 2009, when the U.S. military helicopter he was in crashed while returning from a joint counternarcotics mission in western Afghanistan. Special Agent Michael was a member of DEA’s foreign-deployed Advisory and Support Team Alpha, assigned to Afghanistan. He was 30 years of age at the time of his death. Read more >

Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Michael E. Weston was killed on October 26, 2009, when the U.S. military helicopter he was in crashed while returning from a joint counternarcotics mission in western Afghanistan. Special Agent Weston was assigned to the Kabul, Afghanistan Country Office. He was 37 years of age at the time of his death. Read more >