Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Wednesday, December 24, 1924
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 11 years, 6 months
Badge Number: 4042
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 24, 1924
Weapon Used: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman William Holmes was shot and killed near the intersection of 37th Street and Indiana Avenue while walking his beat with his partner on Christmas Eve.
He was searching for two gunmen who had just robbed a citizen. When Patrolman Holmes spotted the armed offenders on the street, he attempted to place them under arrest. One gunman resisted, displayed a revolver, and fired. Patrolman Homes was struck and mortally wounded, and his partner was also wounded. Other officers responded and killed the first suspect. However, the second suspect escaped.
On June 22nd, 1925, a man who had been involved in the murders of Lieutenant David Dunigan and Officer John Conrad of the Metropolitan Police Department, District of Columbia, and Deputy Sheriff Lawrence McParlin of the Charles County Sheriff's Office, Maryland, was hanged. Before being executed the man claimed to have committed 12 murders, including that of a policeman in Chicago, possibly Patrolman Holmes.
Patrolman Holmes had served with the Chicago Police Department for over 11 years, assigned to 2A District. He was survived by his wife.
He is buried in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois.