Osmar Rodarte Obituary, Death – Officer Osmar Rodarte of the Marysville Police Department was fatally shot during a major multi-agency drug raid in Olivehurst on the morning of March 26. The raid was part of an extensive operation targeting a transnational drug trafficking network responsible for smuggling methamphetamine and fentanyl into California from Mexico.
Rodarte was shot during an exchange of gunfire at a residence on Kestrel Court around 7:50 a.m. The suspect involved in the shooting was also killed at the scene. According to authorities, the incident occurred while law enforcement was executing one of 20 search warrants across multiple counties, including Yuba, Sutter, Tehama, and Butte.
Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry emphasized the significance of the operation, stating that the targeted suspects were key players in an international drug trade that was devastating communities. “Tragically, this morning, at one of the sites where a search warrant was being served, a Marysville police officer lost his life in the line of duty,” Curry said.
Rodarte was part of the Yuba-Sutter Regional SWAT team that entered the residence. Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson confirmed that gunfire erupted inside the home, fatally wounding Rodarte. He was rushed to Rideout Hospital in Marysville, where he later died. A second individual in the home was detained for questioning but was later released.
Rodarte, a U.S. Army veteran, had served with the Marysville Police Department for two years. His death was met with an outpouring of grief from fellow officers, local officials, and community members. Marysville Police Chief Christian Sachs expressed deep sorrow, describing Rodarte as “more than a colleague; he was a friend, a father, an Army veteran, and a true hero.”
Marysville Mayor Chris Branscum recalled the emotional scene at the hospital, where officers gathered in mourning. “I walked into a room of Marysville police officers, with one of our sergeants on a knee saying a prayer for a lost officer,” he said.
On the afternoon of March 26, a solemn procession accompanied Rodarte’s body from Rideout Hospital to Lakeside Chapel. Law enforcement vehicles lined the streets, and residents gathered to pay their respects. Another formal tribute was held on the morning of March 27, escorting his body to Placer County for funeral arrangements.
“Your presence will be a powerful testament to the impact Officer Rodarte had on all of us and the strength of the community he served so selflessly,” Sachs said in a statement.
Two investigations are now underway—one into the officer-involved shooting, led by the Yuba-Sutter Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Team, and another into the broader drug trafficking case. Authorities had already seized hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and more than $150,000 in cash prior to the deadly raid.
Curry stated that additional arrests and drug seizures are expected, with more details to be released in the coming days. “These were major players pushing poison through our neighborhoods,” he said. “We couldn’t just sit and watch it happen.”
Authorities plan to announce details about Rodarte’s memorial service and ways for the public to honor his legacy. His tragic death underscores the risks faced by law enforcement officers in the fight against drug-related crime.
