Lane County Sheriff's Office, Oregon
End of Watch: Friday, April 11, 1975
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: 40
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 11, 1975
Weapon Used: Handgun; .30 caliber
Suspect Info: Released from prison
Deputy Sheriff Roy Dirks was shot and killed by a copycat killer mimicking the famous serial killer Charles Manson.
Deputy Dirks was investigating a drowning incident when he was killed on a dead-end logging road in the Blue River Reservoir area 30 miles west of Eugene.
The suspect was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The leader of the copycat cult was charged with murder in this case but was acquitted. He was found guilty of hindering the prosecution.
Deputy Dirks was a United States Army Korean War veteran and had served 10 years with the Lane County Sheriff's Office. He was survived by his four children, father, brother, two sisters, and several nieces and nephews.