Sierra Vista Company

July 21, 2001

Rangers remember fallen comrade nine years later

David Rupkalvis

SIERRA VISTA — Nine years ago, Arizona Ranger John W. Thomas Jr. gave his life in the line of duty. Saturday, the Rangers said thank you and unveiled a memorial plaque in his memory at Wells Fargo Bank.

Thomas, a sergeant first class in the Army as well as a sergeant in the volunteer Rangers, was murdered by Patrick R. Slay shortly after Slay robbed a Sierra Vista man of $200 at the ATM machine at the then First Interstate Bank.

As Slay fled from the robbery, he encountered Thomas and his partner Mark A. Genz who were wearing Ranger uniforms and wearing sidearms while escorting the receipts from bingo night at the Knights of Columbus.

Slay fired his .38-caliber pistol three times, hitting Thomas in the head two times and the wrist once before the Rangers could react. Genz returned fire and hit Slay in the leg before the suspect ran off. Thomas died two days later.

Slay was sentenced to 43 years in prison in 1993 after pleading guilty to murder and armed robbery.

Despite the changes with the passage of time, the Rangers have kept alive the memory of their comrade.

Thomas was just the third Ranger to die in the line of duty during the Rangers’ 100-year history and the only one during since 1957.

The Arizona Rangers were formed in 1901 when Arizona was just a territory and for eight years were the chief law enforcement agency in the state. The Rangers disbanded in 1909, but in 1957 the Rangers were formally reestablished.

The Rangers now are a non-profit civic organization that provides assistance to law enforcement agencies and is known for helping youth organizations. Some of the ways the Rangers assist are in crowd and traffic control, assisting in searches for missing people and providing security and assistance at crime scenes and for DUI task forces.

When Thomas was killed, he was assisting the Knights of Columbus because that organization had promised to make donations to youth organizations.

Saturday, Capt. Mike Dennis led a small ceremony that was attended by many area Rangers as well as representatives from the Sierra Vista Police Department, Cochise County Sheriff’s Department, Wells Fargo Bank and the Greater Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Nine years ago today, a terrible thing happened,” Dennis said. “Sgt. John Thomas, a fine Arizona Ranger, gave his life protecting the citizens of this community. No one could applaud his death, no matter the nobility of its cause. All of us can however celebrate his life. Sgt. John Thomas, we admire you and we honor your memory.”

At that the Rangers unveiled a plaque next to the front door of the bank that reads: “In this centennial year of the Arizona Rangers, 1901-2001, this plaque is placed in the memory of Sgt. John W. Thomas who gave his life on July 21, 1992 serving this community. The Sierra Vista Company, Arizona Rangers, July 21, 2001.”

Thomas’ family has moved to Florida and was unable to attend the ceremony. But Genz, now a corporal in the Sheriff’s Department, was at the ceremony and said the world lost a great person.

“He was great guy,” Genz said. “He was an outstanding soldier, a great father and a great husband. We lost a great member that day.”

Genz also said he was glad the memorial plaque was placed. “The biggest thing is I obviously can’t forget,” Genz said. “I used to think about it ever day, now at least I don’t think about it every day. The biggest thing this means to me is other people aren’t forgetting either.”