Deputy Clifford E. Sanchez, a 31-year-old officer with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, tragically lost his life on April 6, 1985. Sanchez was shot and killed during a robbery in the parking lot behind a cocktail lounge on North Sierra Way in San Bernardino, California. He was with a female companion in his pickup truck when two men approached and robbed him. The assailants shot Sanchez three times in the head and torso, and then fled the scene with his revolver.
Despite the immediate efforts of law enforcement, the suspects initially escaped.
The investigation into Sanchez's murder quickly identified two suspects: Christopher Caldwell, 18, and Cedric Davis, 21. Caldwell was apprehended shortly after the incident, while Davis, who was already incarcerated at Chino Prison for a parole violation, was charged with murder two months later. Both men were eventually convicted of first-degree murder. In April 1986, Caldwell was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, and a month later, Davis received a sentence of 27 years to life.
Sanchez's death was a significant loss to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, where he had served for six years. He was assigned to the central jail division since October 1981 and had previously worked at the Fontana substation and the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center. Sanchez was also a U.S. Navy veteran, having served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during the early to mid-1970s. He is survived by his parents, Larry and Joan Sanchez, and his sons, Larry and Anthony. His father was an 18-year veteran of the California Highway Patrol.
The case of Deputy Sanchez's murder underscores the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and the profound impact such tragedies have on their families and communities. The swift apprehension and conviction of the perpetrators provided some measure of justice, but the loss of Sanchez remains a poignant reminder of the risks inherent in the profession.
