Peter Herrera was a 35-year-old Deputy Sheriff with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office who was fatally shot during a traffic stop in San Elizario, Texas. On March 22, 2019, Herrera had pulled over a vehicle for a registration violation near Chicken Ranch Road and Socorro Road. As he approached and asked the driver to step out, the driver fired 15 rounds, striking Herrera multiple times.

A civilian and members of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Sheriff’s Office provided aid, but Herrera died two days later at a local hospital. The vehicle stalled several blocks away; the driver and passenger fled on foot but were located and apprehended shortly afterward. The driver, Facundo Chavez, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. The passenger, Arlene Piña, pled guilty to manslaughter and received 15 years in prison.

Herrera had served with the Sheriff’s Office for 11 years, including more than five years as a deputy after starting as a detention officer. Family and colleagues remembered him as a dedicated officer who had long wanted to serve his community. Does anyone have memories of Deputy Herrera or information about the case to share?