Moundsville Police Department, West Virginia
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 22, 1886
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 22, 1886
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 7 years
Chief of Police Jonas Thatcher was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had failed to appear before a justice to face accusations of an assault.
Chief Thatcher went to the man's home to serve the arrest warrant but was confronted by the man's wife. The woman became belligerent and threw a hatchet at Chief Thatcher, who then attempted to place her under arrest. As the woman struggled with him the husband appeared with a double-barreled shotgun and told the chief to let her go.
When Chief Thatcher refused to let her go the man shot him in the chest, killing him almost instantly. The man fled but was apprehended quickly. He was convicted of Chief Thatcher's murder and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Chief Thatcher was survived by his wife and eleven children. He was a Civil War Veteran who served as a sergeant in the 10th Ohio Calvary, Company C.