Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Saturday, December 2, 1922
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 1, 1922
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 8 years
Officer Jess Sosbee and his partner were ambushed in the 400 block of East Grand Street by two men. Officer Sosbee suffered fatal gunshot wounds and died the next day. His partner suffered a gunshot wound but survived.
Two men were arrested and charged with Officer Sosbee's murder. They stated that they ambushed the officers because they wanted to kill a police officer. Both were convicted of manslaughter. One of the subjects was sentenced to five years in prison and the 25-year-old killer was sentenced to eight years in prison.
In 1935 the Jess Sosbee's killer beat his girl friend to death in Oklahoma City. A year later he was apprehended in Pasadena, California. He was returned to Oklahoma, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. In 1939 he was stabbed to death by a fellow inmate.
Officer Sosbee was survived by his wife.