The DEA Honor Roll

In the wee hours of December 10, 2005, P.O. Daniel Enchautegui was home in the red brick duplex he rented in the Pelham Bay area of the Bronx. He heard suspicious noises and the sound of breaking glass outside. First, he called his landlord who lived in the building, and then he called 9-1-1 to report the situation. He identified himself as an Officer and told the operator he would meet the responding cops outside. Armed with a gun, a cell phone, and wearing his police shield, Enchautegui spotted two men breaking into his neighbor’s vacant house. The Officer loudly identified himself as a cop in both English and Spanish, but instead of freezing, one perp opened fire, shooting Enchautegui in the chest near the heart. The Officer managed to squeeze off several shots, hitting the gunman four times and his accomplice twice.

Nearby 45 Precinct cops heard the sound of gunfire and spotted the bleeding and limping perps attempting to flee. On the pavement a block away lay Officer Enchautegui. Precinct and ESU cops desperately tried CPR until the responding ambulance was able to rush the mortally wounded Officer to Jacobi Medical Center, where Enchautegui was pronounced dead at 6:09 a.m.

Daniel Enchautegui had been on the force for only three years, starting in the 52 Precinct, then the 40, where he worked the 4:00 p.m. to midnight shift. Described by colleagues as always cheerful and respectful, the Bronx native worked his way through John Jay College of Criminal Justice as a security guard before joining the force. Survived by his parents and his sister, Officer Enchautegui was promoted posthumously to Detective First Grade on December 10, 2005. He was 28 years old. He was beloved for his calm demeanor, his “by the book” responses, and as someone who “would give his right hand for you.”

Det. First Grade Daniel Enchautegui was buried in St. Raymond’s Cemetery in the Bronx. In 2006, Det. Enchautegui was awarded the Medal of Honor. On August 29, 2006, a street was renamed “Detective Daniel Enchautegui Way” at Westchester Avenue and Arnow Place in The Bronx.

On November 13, 2008, defendant and shooter Steven Armento, 51, was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Enchautegui and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. On January 9, 2009, Sopranos television series actor Lillo Brancato, Jr., 32, was sentenced to ten years for his role in the burglary and shooting. On December 22, 2008, Brancato was cleared of murder charges, but convicted of attempted burglary.

Click on the pdf link below to read a collection of news articles regarding the murder of Det. Daniel Enchautegui:

Daniel Enchautegui Articles 12-2005

Click on the pdf link below to read a letter from Yolanda Rosa, Det. Enchautegui’s sister, published in The Gold Shield magazine, March 2008 issue.

Letter from Yolanda Rosa Gold Shield March 2008