Agent James Paul Epling, 24, U. S. Border Patrol
Drowned during pursuit of suspected illegal aliens, December 16, 2003
Agent Epling disappeared on December 16, 2003 during the pursuit of four suspected illegal aliens. His body was recovered from the Colorado River on December 20, 2003. Agent Epling had been last seen running down the river in pursuit of the suspects after first pulling a woman to safety from the raging river .
A Federal grand jury indicted 22 year old Jose Antonio Vasquez Villasenor for immigrant smuggling in connection with Agent Epling’s death on December 30, 2003.
Bisbee Arizona Police Department
February 17, 2004
Police and federal agents were trapped five miles east of the Naco port of entry by gunfire from men believed to be Mexican drug dealers. The incident began when a Bisbee police officer spotted a Chevrolet Tahoe carrying bundles of marijuana and traveling with a Ford F-250. The officer chased the trucks onto a border road and the Tahoe escaped into Mexico. The Ford broke down near the border, where the passenger and driver ran into Mexico. Within minutes, a vehicle pulled up to the border from Mexico and opened fire with automatic weapons pinning down four officers. One of the gunmen ran to the abandoned Ford, grabbed a suitcase and ran away as the others continued to fire on the police officers. Approximately 25 rounds were fired. Fortunately no police officer was injured.