APOLONIO PINO-FALLEN OFFICER HONORED IN NEW MEXICO-MY GREAT GRANDFATHER
SANTA FE, N.M. -- This weekend, the names of five New Mexico lawmen will be added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. Alamogordo officer Clint Corvinus, Hatch officer Jose Chavez and Valencia County deputy Ryan Thomas were all killed in the line of duty last year.
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But there are two names on the list people probably won't recognize -- two Santa Fe police officers whose end-of-watch came during the Wild West days.
In New Mexico, stepping back in time is usually a short walk. The forgotten past can come to life around any corner. For Santa Fe Police Sgt. Chris McCord, it was in the station basement.
"We found all this old equipment," he said.
From a forgotten storage unit, the past emerged. More than 300 years of Santa Fe law enforcement history was boxed up: guns, billy clubs, items from 1950, 1920 and 1880s. In the bottom of a box, a photo was there.
"When we found the photo, no one knew who he was," McCord said. "On the back of the photo, it said 'Pino.'"
No one knew who this man could be, so McCord set out to solve the biggest cold case of his career. Who was this Pino? And was he the only forgotten face?