Scioto County Sheriff's Office, Ohio
End of Watch: Wednesday, September 23, 1931
Age: 51
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 8, 1928
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: One sentenced to life; one killed
Sheriff Deputy Green Willis and Sheriff Deputy John Bending were shot and killed while responding to a battery call where two suspects were wanted for stabbing another citizen because he refused to buy them whiskey.
When the deputies arrived on the scene, they failed to hear warnings from another deputy that both suspects were armed. Both deputies were ambushed before they could get out of their car. Deputy Bending was shot in the head and killed instantly. Deputy Willis was shot in the neck during an exchange of gunfire.
Deputy Willis did not return to work. His health deteriorated until his death. The death certificate verifies the cause of death was a direct result of the gunshot injury to the neck that Deputy Willis received in 1928.
Other officers returned fire killing one suspect and wounding the other. The suspect was convicted of Deputy Bendings' murder and sentenced to life in prison on May 17, 1928.
Deputy Willis had been with the Scioto County Sheriff's Office for five years. He was survived by his wife and child.