More than 1,000 mourners filled Utah State University’s Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Thursday to honor Officer Eric Estrada less than two weeks after he was killed responding to a domestic disturbance call in Tremonton.
Officers in uniform joined family, friends, and community members in tribute as Estrada’s casket was carried into the arena to the sound of bagpipes. Blue ribbon pins dotted the crowd, and flowers surrounded the stage where his casket rested.
The room stood in silence as Cole Hartley sang the national anthem and Hermilo Molino gave an opening prayer.
Estrada, a 32-year-old member of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department, was shot and killed on Aug. 17. Tremonton-Garland Sgt. Lee Sorensen, 56, was also killed while responding to the same call.
During the Thursday service, Estrada’s family and fellow officers spoke about his dedication to both his loved ones and the community he served. Detective Michelle Cluff, who worked alongside him throughout his career, delivered a eulogy about his commitment to others. She said the people Estrada encountered in his daily work meant the world to him.
“He taught me many things in law enforcement,” Cluff said, “but more than that, he taught me the importance of family and sticking up for things you believe are right, even when it’s uncomfortable or has the possibility of really ruining what you are building for yourself.”
Cluff said Estrada worked long shifts and weekends to support his children. He also changed his schedule to train Spanish-speaking officers, she said.
“I will spend the rest of my career,” Cluff said, “trying to be half the officer that you were.”
Estrada’s brother, Jesus Estrada, told mourners his brother had a gift for making people laugh and feel safe. He said he will miss his brother’s contagious laugh, energy and presence.
“Eric had this way of making me want to be just a little better,” Jesus said. “Sometimes he’d tease you or challenge you. But underneath it all, it was because he believed in people.”
He shared memories of their childhood love of movies, especially “The Sandlot,” which inspired them to gather neighborhood kids for baseball games. Quoting the film, he said: “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
“Eric, you’re not just a memory,” Jesus said. “You’re a part of who we are, a legend in the little things, the laughs, the games, the badge, the late-night talks and the love you poured into your family and your community.”
Estrada’s daughter, Cienna Estrada, spoke about her memories with her father.
“He was a dad who was up for almost anything,” she said. “Whenever we wanted to play Minecraft, he would play with us. He would take us to the river on warm, perfect days so we could walk Po and Maverick as a family.”
Tremonton-Garland Police Chief Dustin Cordova said Estrada left a lasting mark on the people he served, from spending time with schoolchildren to supporting the city’s most vulnerable residents.
“Eric didn’t just wear a badge,” Cordova said. “He embodied what it stands for. He put others before himself. He worked hard and he loved deeply, and when the moment of truth came, he did what true heroes do. He ran towards danger to save his brother.”
Cordova said the community’s outpouring of support in the days since the shooting reflects the way Estrada lived his life — with loyalty, kindness and service to others.
Gov. Spencer Cox also spoke at the service, saying he was deeply moved by Estrada’s sacrifice.
“I’m in a room full of people who, every single day, are willing to lay down their lives,” Cox said, “not just for their friends, but for perfect strangers, for some of us who don’t deserve it, and I’m humbled and grateful that Eric Estrada was one of those people.”
A funeral for Sorensen will be held at the arena Friday.
