Special Town Marshal Clemente Salazar

Clemente Salazar

Special Town Marshal Clemente Salazar was shot and killed while trying to break up a fight during the San Lorenzo Festival.

Several men got into a fight at a dance, and when Marshal Salazar attempted to break it up, he was attacked. He was beaten, stabbed, and shot twice. His gun was also stolen and never recovered. A man was apprehended and charged with Marshal Salazar's murder.

In March of 1951, the suspect, 24, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 50 to 70 years. He was released in lieu of a 20,000 bond while the New Mexico Supreme Court considered his appeal. A month later, he was arrested for receiving stolen property. A month after that, he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill after he hit a man in the head with a large rock. He was immediately sent to prison and lost his appeal. He was paroled on April 21, 1970.

Marshal Salazar was survived by his wife and four children.

He was buried in Bernalillo Cemetery, Bernalillo, New Mexico.