Officer Gethin H. Richards

Gethin H. Richards

Officer Gethin Richards was the fourth of four Akron Policemen to be shot and killed by members of an Italian gang in retaliation for the Akron Police Department's crackdown on their gambling dens and brothels.

He was shot five times in front of 323 South Main Street at 1:00 a.m. The gang was responsible for the deaths of Officer Guy Norris, shot and killed on December 24, 1917, and Officers Edward J. Costigan and Joseph H. Hunt, both shot and killed January 10, 1918.

The Akron Police Department was baffled by the murders, not realizing the gang's involvement until an anonymous phone caller implicated one of the gang members who was arrested in New York. The suspect implicated five other gang members who were arrested and charged with murder.

Four of the suspects were executed in Ohio's electric chair, one on October 4, 1918, two on February 19, 1919, and one July 24, 1919. The other two suspects were sentenced to life in prison. One was released in 1934 and deported to Italy. The other suspect was denied parole in 1964.