Thread: Border Patrol agent found dead near Salton Sea

Richard Goldstein was my uncle. He was an amazing person, one of the few I know. He always wanted to work with the public and law. He made everyone in our family laugh, and brought joy to our faces. His death was a tragedy but we all know he is in heavan. I do not believe foul play was the reason for death, and I have been hearing a lot on homocide. I would not put that past anyone, i have read a lot lately about the Coachella area and it is a common route that the immigrants may take to smuggle in drugs and things like that. I hope if it was homicide that the person or persons get judged harshly on judgement day! R.I.P~Uncle Rich I know you will....He will be sorely missed by the whole family!!!!

So so sorry for your loss but thank you for helping us to know your dear uncle better.
Take care and prayers to you and your family.

RIPUNCLERICHARD
let me be the first to welcome you to ALIPAC,
and
As a retired Law Enforcement Officer I can say I appreciate the work Richard did for his country. It truly hurts when we lose good people.

We are deeply sorry about the loss of your Uncle Richard.

All of us are very sorry about your loss and America's loss. He was doing the job that illegals just wont do. May he rest in peace.

May he rest in peace.
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Memorial service set for Border Patrol agent


Michelle Mitchell
The Desert Sun
May 15, 2007

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The memorial service for a Border Patrol Agent who died in the line of duty will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Southwest Community Church, 77-701 Fred Waring Drive.

Agent Richard Goldstein, 37, was found floating in the Coachella Canal near Niland on May 11.

A law enforcement procession will travel from Wiefel’s Cremation and Funeral Service, 690 Vella Rd. to Southwest Community Church.

RIPUNCLERICHARD--A big WELOME to ALIPAC. I am very sorry for your loss and we are all in debt to him for his service he gave to protect our border. May he rest in peace

Jean and others have posted

Agent Richard Goldstein, 37, was found floating in the Coachella Canal near Niland on May 11.

The original report was:

Authorities say they found the agent's body at Highway 111 and Parkside near the All-American Canal in the Imperial County District.

First they say the body was found near the canal and now the report says the body was found IN the canal. Sounds like double talk coverup to me. Something really stinks here.

Guess we'll never know exactly what happened.
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Border Patrol agent's death determined to be accidental


Michelle Mitchell
The Desert Sun
May 16, 2007

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An autopsy report and investigation revealed that the drowning death of a Border Patrol Agent was accidental, according to a coroner's report.

Agent Richard Goldstein, 37, was found floating in the Coachella Canal near Niland Friday.

Goldstein and his K-9 partner were searching the area after a motion detecting sensor went off, Lt. George Moreno said.

His vehicle was found idling along the canal with his K-9 partner sitting outside.

Do you know Border Patrol Agent Richard Goldstein? We'd love to learn more about him. Send us your stories at localnews@thedesertsun.com
The dog was wet, but it is unclear if the dog was in the water before or after Goldstein.

“As to the circumstances behind that, we don’t know,â€

Family, colleagues share memories of border agent
Officials rule death accidental; no foul play




Services today
The memorial service for Border Patrol agent Richard Goldstein is set for 9:30 a.m. today at Southwest Community Church, 77-701 Fred Waring Drive, Indian Wells.

Michelle Mitchell
The Desert Sun
May 17, 2007

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Border Patrol Agent Richard Goldstein always wanted to be in law enforcement and didn't let any obstacle stop him.
"He wanted it so bad," sister Sandra Morath said in a phone interview from her Buffalo home. "He worked very hard to get there."

Goldstein, 37, moved to the desert from Buffalo, studied hard to learn Spanish and served as a United States Border Patrol agent for five years before he died Friday in what officials are calling an accidental drowning in the Coachella Canal.

Goldstein and his K-9 partner, Carlo, were searching an area near Niland after a motion-detecting sensor went off, Imperial County Sheriff's Department Lt. George Moreno said.

Goldstein somehow fell several feet into the canal, landing in six to eight feet of water, but there was no sign of foul play, Moreno said.

Carlo was wet when he was found sitting next to Goldstein's idling vehicle, but it is unclear why Carlo was in the water or for how long.

"He would have jumped in there to save his dog," said Morath, adding that her younger brother was a strong swimmer.

Goldstein's death was the first for the Border Patrol since 1996.

The Indio husband and father of two had three dogs of his own: Metro, Yankee and Saber, named after his favorite New York sports teams, Morath said.


"To me, he was a very determined individual," said Agent Enrique Lozano, who attended the academy with Goldstein from March to August 2002.
Even though he hadn't been exposed to Spanish before, Goldstein always studied until he got it, Lozano said.

He could be quiet, but was also a funny, likeable guy, Morath said.

"Richard had nothing but close friends," she said. "He had so many friends it was unbelievable."

Goldstein came to the desert to achieve his career goal, but as one of six children, he wanted to return to his extended family - even if the Canadian border is "less exciting" than the U.S.-Mexican border, Morath said.

"He just wanted to come home," she said. "It's still all like a bad dream."



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http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 70329/1006

Fallen Border Patrol agent praised as "heroic" during Thursday memorial



Marcel Honore
The Desert Sun
May 17, 2007

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More than 200 U.S. Border Patrol agents joined the family and friends of Richard Goldstein to honor the fallen agent at Southwest Community Church Thursday.

Goldstein, 37, was found dead in the Coachella Canal near Niland last Friday. He was patrolling an area where a motion-detecting sensor went off.

Officials are calling his death an accidental drowning and said there was no sign of foul play.

Friends at the memorial fought back tears as they recalled a dedicated five-year Border Patrol veteran with a “contagious laughâ€