Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky
End of Watch: Friday, July 20, 1973
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Incident: July 20, 1973
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Conservation Officer Denver Tabor drowned while attempting to rescue a boy who had fallen overboard from a boat in the Ohio River near Dam 50.
Officer Tabor and another conservation officer had taken the other officer's grandson on their boat. The boy was thrown overboard when the boat struck a floating stump. Officer Tabor dove into the water and was bringing the boy back to the boat when both got caught in an eddy and were dragged below the surface. Both bodies were recovered the following day.
Officer Tabor was a United States Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for eight years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, son, mother, and two siblings.