United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Friday, August 21, 1992
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 21, 1992
Weapon Used: Rifle; .30-.06
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Deputy Marshal Bill Degan was shot and killed in Boundary County, Idaho, while conducting surveillance on a rural cabin owned by a man wanted on a federal bench warrant for failure to appear.
Deputy Marshal Degan, along with two other deputy marshals, were scouting out the cabin and surrounding acreage in order to prepare operational plans to serve the warrant. As they neared the cabin the homeowner's dog alerted to their position. The homeowner's son and an adult friend then followed the dog into the woods as the deputy marshals retreated and took up a defensive position.
As the two groups encountered each other the deputy marshals identified themselves but were immediately fired upon. Deputy Marshal Degan was struck by a shot from a .30-06 rifle, killing him instantly. The homeowner's son and dog were killed by return fire while the subject who shot Deputy Marshal Degan fled and returned to the cabin.
Following a standoff in which the homeowner was wounded and his wife was fatally shot by an FBI sniper, the man's other family members and the subject who shot Deputy Marshal Degan were taken into custody. The man who shot Deputy Marshal Degan was later acquitted of federal murder charges in connection with Deputy Marshal Degan's death.
Deputy Marshal Degan was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He was survived by his wife and two sons.