Detective Justin Terry joined LVMPD on August 21, 2001, after getting his degree in Criminal Justice. During his time at LVMPD, Justin served in the Patrol Division as well as working in the Sex Offender Apprehension Program. He was widely regarded as an expert in his field and was a sworn Task Force Officer with the U.S. Marshals Service.
In his last year on the job, he continued his work protecting children in the Homicide Sex Crimes Bureau, Sexual Assault and Abuse Section.
Throughout his career, Detective Terry honored fallen officers by participating in the annual Cops on Top memorial hike. Officers, family, and friends climb to the peaks of the tallest mountains in Nevada to remember fallen police officers. He also started the enduro program at Southeast Area Command, making it possible for officers to ride dual-sport motorcycles into hard-to-reach locations to serve the homeless.
Detective Terry was highly respected and dedicated his life to serving our community. On June 10, 2022, a tragic accident on U.S. 95 took his life. He was 45.
Police Officer Jason Swanger joined the LVMPD on February 12, 2014. He began his law enforcement career working patrol at Enterprise Area Command (EAC). From there, Officer Swanger went to work in South Central Area Command (SCAC) before returning to EAC. Officer Swanger became a Field Training Officer, where he was a lead officer in overseeing the training of new officers during their first year of patrol. He was devoted to the Explorer Program and active in helping to educate children at Steve Schorr Elementary School and Charles A. Silvestri Junior High School about law enforcement and good life choices
Before joining the LVMPD, Officer Swanger served as a culinary specialist in the United States Navy for 11 years. He continued to serve his country by joining the Nevada Army National Guard.
He was known as a devoted father and husband who went the extra mile for people in need and dedicated himself to policing to make a difference in other people’s lives. Officer Swanger died on June 24, 2021, of complications from COVID-19. He was 41.
Lieutenant Erik Lloyd joined LVMPD on September 11, 1990, and began his career as a patrol officer. He promoted to sergeant in 2003, where he worked in the Patrol Division before transferring to the Narcotics Section. He was promoted once again in 2014 to lieutenant, where he worked in the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Technical and Surveillance Section, the Southern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, and the Major Violator Section.
Lt. Lloyd’s last assignment was overseeing the Force Investigation Team in the Office of Internal Oversight and Constitutional Policing. He was also the president of the Injured Police Officers Fund (IPOF) for 16 years, helping Southern Nevada police officers and their families recover from the catastrophic effects of on-duty injuries and line-of-duty deaths.
In 2020, the Las Vegas Valley was faced with the COVID-19 global pandemic. While Nevadans were under a state order to stay at home to prevent contracting the virus, first responders like Lt. Lloyd continued to work diligently throughout the pandemic. He responded to numerous investigations and assisted with various IPOF fundraising efforts to support officers who were sick or injured in the line of duty. In July of 2020, Lt. Lloyd contracted the COVID-19 virus. Following a valiant fight, Lt. Lloyd eventually succumbed to complications caused by the virus on July 29, 2020.
Police Officer Charleston Hartfield joined the LVMPD on January 18, 2006 and worked in Patrol Division until 2015, when he was transferred to the Project Management and Video Bureau.
Officer Hartfield was also a decorated 16-year U. S. Army Combat Veteran. At the time of his passing he was assigned as First Sergeant with the Nevada Army National Guard.
In addition to his law enforcement career and his military service, Officer Hartfield found time to continue his devotion to community as a local football coach and director. Officer Hartfield was the epitome of courage and dedication to America in every way possible.
On October 1, 2017 Officer Hartfield was one of the many victims who were killed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. Officer Hartfield was attending the music festival with his wife and was shot while taking off-duty action to rescue citizens during the shooting.
Officer Hartfield is survived by his wife and two children.
Police Officers Igor Soldo and Alyn Beck were shot and killed from ambush while eating lunch at a pizza restaurant in the 300 block of North Nellis Boulevard.
Two subjects, a male and a female, approached them at their table and shot them execution style without warning. The subjects then stole both officers’ weapons and ammunition and ran to a nearby Walmart, where they shot and killed a civilian.
Responding officers followed the two into the Walmart and exchanged gunfire with them. The male subject was killed by rifle fire from a responding officer and the female then committed suicide.
Officer Soldo had served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for eight years.
Police Officers Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo were shot and killed from ambush while eating lunch at a pizza restaurant in the 300 block of North Nellis Boulevard.
Two subjects, a male and a female, approached them at their table and shot them execution style without warning. The subjects then stole both officers’ weapons and ammunition and ran to a nearby Walmart, where they shot and killed a civilian.
Responding officers followed the two into the Walmart and exchanged gunfire with them. The male subject was killed by rifle fire from a responding officer and the female then committed suicide.
Officer Beck had served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for 14 years.
Police Officer Dave VanBuskirk died after falling during a nigh-time aerial rescue operation of a hiker on Mount Charleston.
The hiker had become disoriented and was stranded on a rock ledge near Mary Jane Falls. A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department helicopter located the hiker and lowered Officer VanBuskirk to the location.
Officer VanBuskirk, a member of the Search and Rescue Section, attached the hiker to the hoist. As the helicopter began to raise the two to the helicopter Officer VanBuskirk became detached from the line and fell to the canyon floor below.
Officer VanBuskirk had served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for 13 years. He is survived by his wife.
Officer Daniel J. Leach joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on June 18th, 1984 following the completion of his formal education in Louisiana. Dan was a Career Corrections Officer, and at the time of his death was assigned to the Tucker Holding Facility in Laughlin, Nevada. On the morning of November 21st, 2009, he began his shift by picking up a prisoner transport van from the Clerk County Detention Center and driving to Laughlin. While traveling southbound on U.S. 95, Officer Leach was involved in a two vehicle accident. He was killed instantly. Officer Leach is survived by his wife, two children, his parents, one brother and one sister.
Officer Trevor A. Nettleton joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on November 5th, 2006 following nine years of service in the United States Marine Corps. During his distinguished military career he was part of the Presidential Guard Detail, servicing President George W. Bush. On November 19th, 2009 Officer Nettleson was in the garage of his residence when he was approached by numerous subjects, one of them armed with a handgun. When the suspects attempted to rob Nettleton at gunpoint he fought back, wounding one of the suspects with gunfire before he was fatally shot. Nettleton is survived by his wife, two young children, his parents and one brother.
Officer Milburn “Milli” Beitel III joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on September 30, 2003, following four years of distinguished service with the United States Marine Corps. “Milli” was a dedicated officer, committed to the service of both his community and his country. In the late evening hours of October 7th, 2009 Officer Beitel’s patrol car overturned after he swerved to avoid a citizens vehicle. Officer Beitel was ejected, causing fatal injuries. Officer Beitel was 30 years old. He left behind his parents, one brother, and his beloved dog “Winston.”