La Plata County Sheriff's Office, Colorado
End of Watch: Tuesday, January 9, 1906
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 9, 1906
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Sheriff Thompson was shot and killed by a town marshal after an argument stemming from the sheriff closing down gambling halls in the town of Durango. The two got into an argument at one of the halls and went outside and exchanged gunfire. Sheriff Thompson was fatally wounded and the marshal was wounded. The marshal was charged with murder after it was learned that Sheriff Thompson was shot in the back. The undertaker, however, burned all of Sheriff Thompson's clothes and destroyed the evidence, resulting in the suspect's acquittal.