Bio & Incident Details
Age: 37
Tour: Not available
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 2/19/1897
Weapon: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect: Acquitted
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Sheriff James Dow was shot and killed as he exited the bank building on Fox Street in the town of Eddy (present day Carlsbad). As he exited the building, the former Sheriff of Eddy County and an accomplice ambushed him. The suspects were political foes of Sheriff Dow and were angry that Sheriff Dow had ended corruption in the Eddy County Sheriff's Department.
Both suspects were arrested and charged with murder but were acquitted at trial. It was reported that the suspect had bribed witnesses to give perjured testimony at trial. The chief suspect died in 1935.
Sheriff Dow had been with the agency for seven weeks and was a former Chaves County Deputy Sheriff, Deputy United States Marshal and range detective. Sheriff Dow was survived by his wife and two sons.
