DEA Farewell to Special Agent Terry Watson

As I have previously reported on this site, DEA lost one of its own in Bogota, Colombia recently when Agent Terry Watson was murdered during  a taxi robbery in Bogota.

The Los Angeles chapter of the Association of Former Federal Narcotics Agents (AFFNA), of which I am a proud member, has sent me this report with photos on the final tributes paid to Terry both by his counterparts in Colombia and the US.

Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 12:31 PM Subject: DEA Remembers Special Agent Terry Watson Subject: DEA Remembers Special Agent Terry Watson DEA Special Agent that was recently murdered in Bogota, Colombia. DEA Remembers Special Agent Terry Watson Colombian National Police, US Embassy and DEA personnel stand side by side as Special Agent Watsons body passes in Bogota From the murder of DEA Special Agent James “Terry” Watson on Friday, June 21 to his burial in his hometown of Rayville, Louisiana on Wednesday, June 26 a great deal has transpired that has brought his family closer to peace, his body closer to its final resting place, and the first steps in ensuring that justice will be done. In the immediate aftermath of the murder, the DEA, U.S. Embassy law enforcement, along with components of the intelligence community and military initiated a 24-7 investigation which was led by the Colombian National Police and Colombian Prosecutors Office. The FBI deployed an Evidence Recovery Team and Diplomatic Security Service sent an investigative team, while the DOJ/Special Prosecutions Unit sent an AUSA to be on scene to facilitate the writing of criminal complaints.     Ambassador and Mrs. McKinley pay tribute to Special Agent Watson. Major General Luis Alberto Perez and RD Jay Bergman stand by them DEA airplane at Bogota Airport ready to take Terry's body home On Monday morning, our Colombian partners accompanied by DEA personnel, United States Marines, and U.S. Embassy staff arranged for the return of Terry’s body to the United States. This took place in a silent ceremony held at the Colombian Anti-Narcotics Directorate Base in Bogota at 6 am. The Major General of Anti-Narcotics for the Colombian Police, the Commandant of the Navy, and the U.S. Ambassador McKinley participated in this ceremony. Terry’s body was then placed on a DEA plane for his final journey home. Upon Terry’s arrival in New Orleans later on Monday his body was taken to Monroe, and then to the Brown-Holley Funeral Home in Rayville, Louisiana. Marines Remove Flag from Casket of Special Agent Watson (L-R) RD Jay Bergman and Special Agents Kenny Kokinda, Paul Spera and Jose Medina Monday evening Interpol Red Notices were sent to Colombia based on a criminal complaint issued in the Eastern District of Virginia charging five defendants with Title 18 USC 1116(a), USC Section 2: the murder of an internationally protected person. Teams of Colombian Police, DEA, FBI and HSI officers were sent out to capture four defendants and they were captured during evening and dawn raids in three different towns. All four defendants made substantial post Miranda confessions about their direct involvement in the murder of Special Agent Watson. (L-R) Special Agents Dan Young, Rob Prouty and Terry Watson after Operation Mountain Poet (L-R) Special Agents Jude Tanella, Frank Tarentino, Dan Young and Terry after operation in Kunduz, Afghanistan Administrator Leonhart said that we are “grateful for the outstanding work of the Colombian National Police, the Special Investigative Unit, and the Attorney General’s Office that led to the swift arrest of these suspects…and we look forward to justice being served.” On Tuesday evening a viewing was arranged by the family in the Richland Parrish Arts Center in Rayville for the community, colleagues, and friends. Special Agent Terry Watson during EXFIL at top of mountain during Operation Mountain Poet, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan Special Agent Terry Watson getting ready to go undercover The next day at 10 am funeral services were held at the arts center. Among those who spoke at the ceremony were Attorney General Eric Holder; DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart; Assistant Regional Director Phil Welcome and Intel Research Specialist Scott Rowan, who spoke on behalf of the DEA offices in Colombia and Terry’s Colombian counterparts; and DEA Special Agent Frank Tarentino who spoke for his fellow Special Agents in FAST. The Attorney General and the Administrator also met privately with the family. Special Agent Terry Watson in a lighter moment in Afghanistan Special Agents Terry Watson, Justin King and Al Pacheco during FAST Assessment Indoctrination Course The Attorney General said at the service that “It’s an honor to join this community in paying tribute — and our last respects — to a brave public servant who devoted his life to helping those around him; a patriot who never hesitated to incur great risks and face grave dangers in order to protect the country he loved; and a hero who was taken from us far too suddenly and far too soon.” Terry and his wife Fadia at their wedding Terry was buried at the McKnight Cemetery in Richland Parrish accompanied by Special Agent Stephen Casey of DEA’s own Black and Gold who performed Amazing Grace, while three flags: one flown on the U.S. Embassy, a second from Terry’s casket and a third flown on the U.S. Capitol were presented to Terry’s widow Fadia, to his mother Henrietta, and his grandmother Pauline.  Administrator Leonhart presents Terry's mother Henrietta with flag Inside the Rayville Arts Center at the commencement of the funeral Please keep Terry and his family in your prayers in the days ahead as the investigation into his death and the process of bringing his murderers to justice continues. Messages of thanks and goodbye to Terry from friends and neighbors Special Agent Stephen Casey plays Amazing Grace at graveside To watch a video of local news coverage of Special Agent Watson’s funeral, please click here. Donations in Terry’s name can be made to the DEA Survivors Benefit Fund (www.survivorsbenefitfund.org) or the St. Jude Children’s Hospital (www.stjude.org).   In 1995, I had the opportunity to travel to Colombia to participate in a DEA drug training seminar for Colombian drug police. At that time, I was able to attend a joint Colombian-US memorial service for Colombian and US police personnel killed in the line of duty while engaged in drug enforcement. It was presided over by the then-head of the Colombian National Police,  Rosso Jose Serrano. At the time, the head of the national police drug unit was a good personal friend of mine, having worked with me on an enforcement operation in Europe a few years previous. I have always held a deep respect for the police, prosecutors, and others in Colombia who have put their lives on the line to fight the drug cartels and faced risks to themselves and their families that most of us in the US may not comprehend.  I am grateful for the quick enforcement action that resulted in arrests of the suspects.