The Four Policemen — Who Were They?

APRIL 8, 1970

The Four Californian Highway Patrol officers who died as a result of Sunday night’s gun battle in Saugus had all been on the police force for less than two years.

The oldest of the four victims, all of whom are from the Newhall station, was only 24 years old. All were married and had young children.

One of the sad ironies of the tragedy is the long friendship between Patrolmen Walter C. Frago and Roger D. Gore who were the first to be gunned down by the killers.

Frago and Gore were partners who grew up together in Merced, California. The pair had attended the Highway Patrol’s training school together and had been assigned to the Newhall station in August of 1968.

Both men lived on Walnut Street in Newhall, just one block apart and both had young daughters. Both men were 23 years old.

Frago, who lived at 24950 Walnut Street, is survived by his wife Nicola and two daughters, Amorette, 4, and Gabrielle, 3.

Gore, whose residence was 24836 Walnut Street, is survived by his wife, Valerie, and by a one-year-old daughter, Elyse.

Officer James E. Pence was a 24 year old resident of Sylmar. He had been with the Highway Patrol since January of last year.

He is survived by his wife, Janet, and by two children, a daughter, Teressa, 3, and a son, James, 1.

Officer George M. Alleyn, 24, lived at 27314 Denoya Street in Saugus. He had been assigned to the Newhall office of the Highway Patrol in April 1968.

He is survived by his wife Shirley, and two children, a daughter Julie, 3, and a son, Kevin, 1.

Highway Patrol officials have reported that the widows and families will be entitled to “Special Death Benefits” which are awarded to families of all patrolmen who die in the line of duty.

Each family will receive one half of the regular patrolman’s salary per month—about $410—until the wife either remarries or reaches the social security retirement age for women of 62. There will be additional benefits awarded each family depending on the number of children involved.

In addition, several fund drives have been launched by various citizens and organizations to contribute financial aid to the patrolmen’s families.