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Photo courtesy of SCV Sheriff's Station.

Santa Clarita Deputy Killed In The Line-Of-Duty Remembered 44 Years Later

Santa Clarita deputies remembered their fallen comrade who was killed in the line-of-duty exactly 44 years ago Saturday after a detained suspect managed to escape his cell and access the deputy’s firearm. 

Deputy Arthur Pelino, was killed 44 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,” said Deputy Natalie Arriaga with the SCV Sheriff’s Station. “To this day, Deputy Pelino is remembered at our station by all.”

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. 

See Related: Deputy Jake Honored 19 Years After Fatal Shootout In Stevenson Ranch

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. 

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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Santa Clarita Deputy Killed In The Line-Of-Duty Remembered 44 Years Later

2 comments

  1. May God bless all men and women that serve our community

  2. Here is a story I wrote about Officer Pelino and his wife Patricia, and the honorable officers that took care of the Pelino family:

    https://scvphysicianreport.com/2015/03/04/loss-of-a-sheriff-and-husband-patricia-pelino/

    Gene Dorio, M.D.

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About Rachel Matta

Born and raised in Santa Clarita, Rachel Matta has always had a love for writing and media. The first time she ever smiled was actually while she was laying next to her mom as she flipped through the pages of a magazine. Upon graduating from high school in 2019, she chose to major in both journalism and political science at College of the Canyons with the intention of concentrating in news reporting. She began her journey at KHTS as a news intern in the summer of 2020 and officially joined the newsroom in the spring of 2021, intending to move forward with compassion and inquisition.