Thomas Bedford

Death by Force

On October 8, 1979, 30-year-old Deputy Sheriff Thomas Chesley Bedford Jr. of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico was fatally shot while investigating a series of burglaries in the Nogal area. During his patrol, Deputy Bedford encountered two individuals, one of whom was armed with a rifle. He instructed them to place the rifle on the hood of his patrol car. As he proceeded with his questioning, one of the suspects retrieved a handgun from the other's pocket and shot Deputy Bedford. ...Read More