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Case Description
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Do you know who murdered Deputy Juan Ortiz in September of 1978?
Juan Leo Ortiz, a 33-year-old Hispanic male, was a Deputy Sheriff with the San Miguel County Sheriff's Department in New Mexico. His life was cut short in an act of retaliation on Sunday, September 17, 1978, just three weeks after a fateful encounter in the Santa Fe National Forest. While on patrol, he had confronted several individuals who were reportedly harassing campers. The situation escalated, and when one of the men aimed a rifle at him, Deputy Ortiz fired his weapon, killing the suspect. ...Read More
Juan Leo Ortiz, a 33-year-old Hispanic male, was a Deputy Sheriff with the San Miguel County Sheriff's Department in New Mexico. His life was cut short in an act of retaliation on Sunday, September 17, 1978, just three weeks after a fateful encounter in the Santa Fe National Forest. While on patrol, he had confronted several individuals who were reportedly harassing campers. The situation escalated, and when one of the men aimed a rifle at him, Deputy Ortiz fired his weapon, killing the suspect. ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (7)
See any mistakes?Victim Details
Juan Ortiz
December 16, 2022
Male
Hispanic / Latino
Rociada
NM
1978-09-01
39
Juan
Ortiz
11/07/2025
Area Body Found:
Forum Posts (2)
Hey all,
I've been diving deep into the case of Deputy Juan Ortiz's murder from '78, and one deta... ...Read More
02/23/2024
I've been diving deep into the case of Deputy Juan Ortiz's murder from '78, and one deta... ...Read More
02/23/2024
Does anyone else find it eerie how whoever shot Deputy Ortiz managed to avoid leaving any substantia... ...Read More
04/13/2023
04/13/2023
