Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Deputy Sheriff Evans,
Sir, I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice-not just as a Law Enforcement Officer but for our Country as well when you served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. And to your Family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

BPA Mike Casey
United States Border Patrol(Retired)

June 9, 2024

God bless you and thank you for your service!

I was on duty in Lake Elsinore and drove to Corona to help in the chase but I was called off. We listened to the 11-99 call with grief, anger and anticipation.., I never forgot that day and I am proud to have been surrounded by such heros.

Deputy John Semon
Lake Elsinore Sub-Station

December 30, 2022

Thank you for your contributions. May you rest in peace.

Anonymous
Anonymous

August 21, 2022

We will never forget. Heroes live forever.

Ofc. Carlos Cuellar (Retired)
Miami Beach Police Department.

May 18, 2021

Sir, today marks the 40th anniversary of your sacrifice. I just watched an agency produced documentary about that awful day. You and your brother officers exemplified the bravery of our profession, we honor you. It is hard to imagine what that day was like. May your name never dim through history. Thank you for being such an example to us.

Cpl in K9
County Sheriff, Maryland

May 9, 2020

RIP Brother Reading the Book Now NORCO 80. You were a true Hero Sir. GOD BLESS your Family.

Brother in law Enforcement Charles Guin
-

May 4, 2020

One night Jim and Raul Cornejo were working Sunnymead. They got a call of a large loud party and went to the address. Most of the people there were Mexican, so Raul went to contact the owner since he spoke Spanish. Jim waited outside where the largest part of the crowd was. The crowd was pretty rowdy and belligerent. After about five minutes, Jim could not see Raul anymore and Raul was not responding to calls on his Handie-Talkie. The crowd would not let Jim into the house, so he got the shotgun from the unit and started toward the front door. The crowd kept blocking his way in and pushing him, so Jim fired a round from the shotgun into the air. Both Jim and Raul said by the time the echo died out there wasn't a single person left in the yard. They all scattered. As I recall both the SGT and the LT thought it was justified and nothing more ever came from it.

Daniel Cunningham, Deputy #392
Riverside County Sheriff.

May 9, 2019

Rest In Peace Brother LEO. Thank you and your family for your sacrifice and service to this country.

Officer Mike Robinson (Ret)
Upland Police Dept. CA

May 9, 2018

RIP Deputy Evans. We all salute your courage. Thank you for your service.

Deputy Patrick M Larkin
GC Pct 1

April 23, 2018

Deputy Evans is remembered today, the 37th anniversary of his death. The video account of the Norco robbery is available on youtube in three parts, and is worth watching.

We are grateful for the service of Deputy Evans, and know that his family remembers him as one of those who stood tall in the Thin Blue Line.

Stan Jefferson
Citizen of Arizona

May 9, 2017

I was an 11 year old kid and lived 3/4 of a mile East of the bank. That day was scary. SWAT took our home as a base camp. The days following this robbery, they pulled bullets from trees by my house.
Sheriff Deputy Evans was a friend of our family.

Civilian Kris Blake
Friend

October 7, 2016

May 9, 1980 was a hell of a day. We can all be thankful that officers like Deputy Evans exist to protect us.

Stan Jefferson
citizen

September 5, 2016

Time may have passed but you are not forgotten. I believe as long as someone remembers you or speaks your name, you are still with us.

Thank you for your heroism.

God Bless

Detention Officer A.Zambito
Texas

May 9, 2015

Can you tell me if this is the same James B Evans that served in the army in Vietnam with the 91st evacuation hospital in 1969. if you will please let me know.

Ernest Rose
I believe i served with him in vietnam

February 26, 2015

I had forgotten about the Norco robbery, saw a documentary on it today. May his wife, son, and stepchildren remember him as a hero who stood in the Thin Blue Line.

Stan Jefferson
citizen

September 2, 2013

Jim . .

Although I never knew you, I learned about you during the first three weeks of my San Diego sheriffs academy where your case was profiled . . .then and for many academies following. Since that day I have remembered your name and for many days following my graduation, my memory of you and your sacrifice kept me safe . . . I can still remember your radio transmissions played back during those academy days and the impression they made on me and my classmates . . . God bless you, may you rest in peace and thank you for helping to keep me and my partners safe . . . . From an eternal partner . . .

Sergeant
San Diego Sheriff

April 4, 2013

James is my brother and I miss him everyday. During my high school years it was James who sat down with me to tell me about "boys." He taught me to dance. after all, he had run awards in military school for ballroom dancing.

James had his own ideas about life and stuck to them even though they may have differed from those around him. His dates for special events in high school, before he was in military school, were girls with disabilities that he feared might mean they would have to attend the occasion alone.

James just knew strangers were his friend and talked to them as though he had known them all his life. He told my father that the main reason he wanted to do police work was to help kids and keep them out of trouble. He did that. He and his wife, Mary, gave up their own Christmas tree and gifts to give to families that James knew would not have a Christmas. He repaired bicycles for kids, took them places with him, and helped them in countless other ways. All of his stepchildren loved him as their father.

James had a vivid imagination. When he entered school in first grade. He told his teacher his name was Roy Rogers and he would not answer roll call until she called out "Roy Rogers." He and another brother, Bill, while they were teenagers, spent a couple of summers with my uncle in New Mexico helping him wrangle cattle. The letters James wrote home were wildly descriptive and humorous. James had a dry sense of humor and, even though he had his low moments; he could always look outside himself and find something humorous about his situation.

James served eight years in the armed services as a Green Beret and officer in Special Forces in Viet Nam and received numerous medals and commendations for his acts of bravery.

James loved to travel and wanted to retire someday in the mountains to write "the great American novel." His major in college was English and he was only a week, or two, away from receiving his Masters Degree in Law Enforcement when he was killed. I wish that James could have realized his retirement dream and that we could all be laughing as we read the tales written in his latest book.

Kay Evans Schecht
Sister

January 15, 2013

Jim was a very good friend. I was working swing shift and he was my relief for the mid-night shift on the old "Moreno Valley Team". Sometimes when things were dead we would just sit and talk.

Jim sometimes had a "different" way of solving problems. I remember one night Jim and Raul Cornajo were wroking together and they got a call of a large loud party. When they arrived Raul went to talk to the resident at the house and was immedately surrounded by several hostile "party goers". Jim lost sight of Raul and feared that Raul might be in some very serous trouble. (Closest back-up was probably 30 to 45 minutes away.) Jim took out the shotgun and fired a single round into the air. Instantly the crowd disappeared. Raul was the only one standing. The rest either scattered or were lying on the ground.

Jim was a friend you could count on in a crisis. That day the department lost a really great deputy and I lost a really good friend.

Dan Cunningham, Deputy Sheriff (Ret)
Riverside County Sheriff

May 11, 2012

I was changed forever by the loss of Jimmy. I was there on the road when Jimmy died. You were a great friend and a great man Jim. We won't forget what happened that day. Losing you taught us alot about what we need to be better officers. All of us along the way did our best with what we had but we were out gunned beyond belief. Love Ya Buddy and I know you are resting in God's house.

Deputy William Eldrich
Riverside Sheriff

May 9, 2012

Rest in Peace, Deputy Evans. Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Officer 11169

January 19, 2012

You are not forgotten brave hero.

Chaplain Jim Taylor
Fresno County Sheriff's Department

March 13, 2011

Your heroism and service is honored today, the twenty-ninth anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer who was murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.

Time never diminishes respect. Your memory will always be honored and revered.

Rest In Peace.

Phyllis Loya

Phyllis Loya
mother of fallen officer Larry Lasater

May 9, 2009

Deputy Evans:

Small world. All these years, I have known a Cowboy, who until tonight, I never knew used to work Riverside County Sheriffs. Here we were talking about Norco, and different "watering holes," restaurants, and the rodeo this weekend, when I said all of those streets were involved in a big shootout. Not only did he work there, he knew You.

You are most certainly NOT forgotten. May You Rest - In - Peace.

Maj M. B. Parlor
USMC / LAPD

April 17, 2008

Back in 1974 Jim and I were Reserves with Colton PD. Jim later became a Deputy with Riverside Sheriff and I went on a couple of ride a long with him. Jim was a calm and steady decent guy with a great sense of humor. We were new to law enforcement and Jim had found a home and I a friend. I still miss him and it's 2008.

Mike Mills
Friend

April 12, 2008

Jim,

I watched the 82 video of the Norco robbery produced by local CA cops earlier today when I was transferring old PD VHS tapes to DVD. What a day that was. Made me think of your bravery when knowing full well the amount of rifle fire these dirtbags were firing at cops, you still took the lead to press on to capture them. You aren't forgotten. Christmas is tomorrow and I hope GOD is with you and your family. RIP

Det. Doug Teachworth
Lynnwood, WA PD

December 24, 2007