El Paso County Detention Officer Remembered 2 Years Later

Two years ago, El Paso County Detention Officer Arthur Redelfs and his wife, U.S. Consulate employee, Leslie Enriquez Redelfs, were brutally killed in Ciudad Juarez.

Tuesday, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office held a dedication in honor of the slain officer.

The months following the murders of Arthur and Leslie seemed to represent a troubling reality across the border, even prompting Texas Senators to demand reinforcements from President Obama.

But Tuesday afternoon, Arthur, or Art, was simply remembered as an officer, brother, and friend.

?I loved Art. He was my best friend,? said Arthur?s friend for more than 20 years, John Nance. ?It actually gets tough around this time of year. March 13 isn?t necessarily a good anniversary, but it?s an anniversary of his passing.?

?It brings back a lot of memories,? said Arthur?s brother, Reuben Redelfs.

On March 13, 2010, the Redelfs family was torn apart when Reuben?s little brother and his wife were gunned down in their car in Juarez.

Arthur and Leslie?s baby daughter, Rebecca, was also in the car but miraculously survived.

Their car was sprayed with bullets, just minutes from the international bridge as the young family returned from a children’s party in Juarez .

Two years later, the tragedy finally gave way to smiles and even laughter as loved ones gathered at the El Paso County Jail to dedicate a lunchroom in honor of Arthur.

?It?s really great to see that they’ve gone out to remember him the way that they have,? said Reuben.

Officers who worked with Arthur shared comedic anecdotes about the man who they said had an infectious sense of humor and an affinity for juice boxes.

?It?s important to keep his memory alive,? said Arthur?s longtime coworker, Officer Jorge Monsivais. ?Redelfs is the type of person that would always make you laugh.?

For Monsivias, the Arthur Redelfs Lunchroom is a place where officers can go to share a meal and memories of their fallen friend.

?I?m going be able to come to this room and say, ?Man, I?m going to be in the Arthur Redelfs room,?? said Monsivais. ?It?s kind of like saying, ?I?m going go eat with Redelfs.??

Redelfs? coworkers also set up a scholarship in his honor.

One of the first recipients will be Arthur and Leslie’s nearly-three-year-old daughter, Rebecca.