United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Friday, August 2, 1929
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: August 2, 1929
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Charges dismissed
Federal Prohibition Agent Richard Sandlands was killed when his neck was broken while struggling with a suspect in a boat on the Detroit River in Detroit, Michigan.
Agent Sandlands was on a temporary assignment to Detroit for 60 days during a concentrated effort to stop rum-running between Canada and the United States. He and another agent spotted the boat and boarded.
When the second agent got off the boat to call for assistance the suspect attacked Agent Sandlands and killed him. When the second agent returned the boat was gone and Agent Sandlands could not be found. His body was found floating in the river several days later. The suspect and the suspect's wife were both charged with manslaughter. Charges were dropped against the wife. The suspect posted bond and was released.
In two different trials the suspect said he thought Agent Sandlands was a hijacker. The jury was deadlocked in each case. The sharges were dropped nine years later.
Agent Sandlands was survived by his wife, two children, and parents.