Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station deputies remembered their fallen comrade who was killed in the line of duty exactly 47 years ago Wednesday after a detained suspect managed to escape his cell and access the deputy’s firearm. 

Deputy Arthur Pelino was killed 47 years ago in Gorman, after a detained suspect managed to escape his cell, according to Sheriff’s officials.

Deputy Pelino was assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station when he was killed by a violent suspect who was able to gain control of his service weapon during a brief struggle.  

On March 19, 1978, the 50-year-old deputy arrested a “mentally deranged” suspect, Terry Lynn Zachery, who was known to be violent, according to the Officer Down Memorial Website. 

Once Zachery was in custody, Pelino canceled his backup request due to the suspect being detained in a jail cell in his office, according to the memorial. 

Zachery was able to escape the jail cell and accessed Pelino’s firearm before firing at Pelino, according to officials.

When Pelino did not return to their home located behind the station, two of Pelino’s children found him dead at his office, with the suspect calmly sitting in the deputy’s chair. 

Deputy Sheriff Arthur E. Pelino
End of Watch: Sunday, March 19, 1978

Deputy Arthur Pelino was shot and killed by a mentally deranged suspect. Deputy Pelino was a Resident Deputy in Gorman, which is located in a rural section of Los Angeles County. He had arrested a mentally… pic.twitter.com/Pc9A6yYyYc

— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) March 19, 2025

Pelino’s wife, Patricia, was able to get the suspect into a cell and call for assistance, according to officials. 

Deputy Pelino had been with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 21 years and left behind his wife, three sons and three daughters. 

His spouse, Patricia Pelino, passed away on April 21, 2018, according to officials. 

Zachery was arrested and served 2 and a half years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, according to officials. 

In 2019, over 70 recruits did a color run at Six Flags Magic Mountain honoring Pelino along with three other Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s deputies who had been killed in the line of duty.

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