Cincinnati Police Department, Ohio
End of Watch: Thursday, August 29, 1918
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: 13 years, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 28, 1918
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Executed in 1923
Patrolman William Deiters was shot and killed at the intersection of Liberty Street and Freeman Avenue while walking his beat.
Two men approached him and attempted to rob him of his revolver. In an attempt to protect himself, Patrolman Deiters reached for his revolver but was shot in the chest. Two other officers who happened to be in a passing streetcar witnessed the shooting and chased the suspects a short distance before losing them. Both men were arrested in Pennsylvania and extradited back to Ohio where they confessed to the robbery and murder.
One subject was convicted of robbery. The other was convicted of Patrolman Deiters' murder and, after two trials and several stays of execution, he was executed by electrocution on January 26th, 1923.
Patrolman Deiters had served with the Cincinnati Police Division for 13-1/2 years. He was survived by his wife, two children, and mother.