On a summer evening in Manson, Washington, on June 26, 2003, the life of 35-year-old Hispanic male, Saul Gallegos, was tragically cut short. A Chelan County Sheriff's Deputy, Gallegos was on duty when he initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by a man suspected of having a suspended license. The driver, later identified as Jose Sanchez Guillen, pulled into a residential driveway and attempted to flee on foot.
Gallegos pursued him, leading to a physical altercation behind the residence.
During the struggle, Sanchez Guillen managed to gain control of Deputy Gallegos' service weapon. Witnesses reported hearing two gunshots, and tragically, Gallegos was struck in the head. A witness quickly used the deputy's radio to call for help, but by the time another deputy arrived, Saul Gallegos had succumbed to his injuries at the scene. He had been with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office for seven months, having previously served with the Chelan Police Department for seven years.
Immediately following the shooting, a massive manhunt for Jose Sanchez Guillen was launched, spanning the West Coast and extending into Mexico. The search came to an end three days later, on June 29, 2003, when Chelan County deputies and U.S. Marshals located and arrested Sanchez Guillen at a house in Connell, Washington. He was taken into custody without incident and transported back to Chelan County to face charges.
In October 2004, a jury convicted Jose Sanchez Guillen of aggravated first-degree murder for the death of Deputy Saul Gallegos. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Years later, in September 2009, Sanchez Guillen was responsible for the death of a fellow inmate, whom he stabbed to death. Deputy Gallegos was survived by his wife and four young sons.
