Page County Sheriff's Department, Iowa
End of Watch: Saturday, April 10, 1943
Age: 50
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 10, 1943
Weapon Used: Handgun; .22 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 20 years
Sheriff Cecil Crawford was shot and killed as he and two other officers attempted to take custody of a man for a sanity hearing in his father's home.
The man led the sheriff and a deputy upstairs, where he opened fire on them, killing Sheriff Crawford instantly. He then jumped from a window and ran into a wooded area, and was captured a short time later.
The suspect was declared insane and committed to a mental institution. In July of 1949, he was found to be sane and charged with Sheriff Crawford's murder. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison on November 7, 1949. He died on October 7, 1956.
Sheriff Crawford was serving his third term as Sheriff of Page County Sheriff's Department. He was survived by his wife.