Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Rickie C. Finley was killed on May 20, 1989, in a plane crash as he was returning from a jungle operation to a base camp in Lima, Peru. He was 37 years of age at the time of his death.

During his five years with DEA, Special Agent Finley received two Sustained Superior Performance Awards, in July 1987, for his work with the Detroit Field Division and again in August 1988, for his work with Operation Snowcap, a cocaine eradication program in Peru.

Prior to joining DEA, he was an undercover narcotics officer with the North Little Rock Police Department for nearly seven years. He became a Special Agent with DEA's Little Rock Resident Office in May 1984. After basic agent training, he was assigned to the Detroit Field Division. He volunteered for Operation Snowcap in 1988 and again in 1989. Finley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1975 and a Master of Science degree in criminal justice, both from Arkansas State University. He was survived by his parents, Drexal and Grace Finley.