On a crisp December evening in 2004, the life of a dedicated public servant, Robert Walter Hedman, a 49-year-old Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Otero County, New Mexico. A veteran of the United States Army who had served in the Vietnam War, Hedman had dedicated his life to serving his community, first with the Tularosa Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, and the Alamogordo Department of Public Safety, and for the final three years of his life, with the Otero
County Sheriff's Department.
On December 18th, Deputy Sheriff Hedman and his partner were dispatched to a domestic dispute call at a residence on U.S. 82, about ten miles east of Cloudcroft. Arriving at the scene around 7:00 pm, the deputies were immediately confronted with a grim sight: blood on the floor at the entrance of the home. They made contact with a male resident and a three-year-old girl, but the man abruptly slammed and locked the door, refusing them entry.
As his partner took a defensive position at the front of the house, Deputy Hedman moved to the rear of the residence to secure the location. It was there, in the darkness, that the man inside opened fire, fatally wounding Hedman. The gunman then returned his attention to the front of the home, engaging in a shootout with Hedman's partner. In the exchange of gunfire, the suspect was shot and killed.
The tragic events of that night did not end there. Upon entering the home, law enforcement discovered the body of a woman who had been murdered by the suspect earlier that evening. The loss of Deputy Hedman, a husband and father of two, sent shockwaves through the community he had sworn to protect. He is remembered as a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
