Deputy Sheriff Manuel Quintana

Manuel Quintana

Deputy Sheriff Manuel Quintana was shot and killed by the brother of a juvenile he had arrested for disorderly conduct at a dance hall in El Rito.

The 14-year-old had created a disturbance with a slingshot, after he got mad because a girl refused to dance with him. The boy's 19-year-old brother approached Deputy Quintana and shot him the face, killing him. As a local constable chased the killer he turned and fired at him twice. The constable caught him and took him into custody. An examination of the pistol showed it had been shot three times but the trigger was pulled five times. The last two bullets, meant for the constable, were defective.

The juvenile was convicted of a weapons charge and sent to the state reform school. The older brother pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 90 to 99 years in prison.

Deputy Quintana was survived by his wife and chidren.