John R. Modlin, the Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson sector, recently commemorated the 13th anniversary of a fallen agent on social media platform X. He emphasized that the agency would forever remember the sacrifices made by the agent to protect their jurisdiction.
Modlin honored the late agent stating, "On December 15, 2010, Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry lost his life in the line of duty. Tucson Sector honors his courage, commitment, and the ultimate sacrifice he made to protect our communities and Nation. #NeverForgotten."
As per a news release from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Terry and his fellow border patrol agents had an encounter with a gang led by Jesus Rosario Favela-Astorga on the night of Terry's murder in a rural area north of Nogales, Arizona. One member of Favela-Astorga’s gang fired at the agents and hit Terry in the back, causing severe damage to his spinal cord and aorta. Terry was heard saying to a fellow agent, "Willie, I’m hit! I can’t feel my legs," but his colleagues were unable to reach him due to continuous gunfire.
Six members of Favela-Astorga's crew were convicted and sentenced for this case. However, it wasn't until April 2022 that Favela-Astorga received a 50-year prison sentence for his role in Terry's murder as per DOJ's release. After committing the crime, Favela-Astorga fled back to Mexico and was eventually arrested in 2017. It was later revealed that the gang possessed enough food supplies for several days along with four AK-47-style assault rifles and an AR-15 assault rifle.
U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman of the Southern District of California commented on Favela-Astorga’s sentencing, "Today is for Brian Terry, and his loved ones and colleagues who waited eleven years to see justice come to all who were involved in his tragic murder. We hope it fulfills the promise to everyone who protects us. We’ll relentlessly pursue justice against those who do them harm for as long as it takes."
According to the DOJ release, Manuel Osorio-Arellanes, a gang member who was shot in the stomach, was abandoned by his comrades and sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2014. His identification of the other gang members ultimately led to their arrests and convictions.
