Cedar County Sheriff's Office, Iowa
End of Watch Friday, August 8, 1930
Add to My HeroesRobert G. Sproat
Deputy Sheriff Robert Sproat was shot and killed when he and two other officers set up a roadblock on Primary Road 74 (modern-day Highway 130), two miles east of Tipton, to stop three robbery suspects who were fleeing Davenport. One of the suspects opened fire with a machine gun as they ran the roadblock, striking Deputy Sproat in the chest.
One of the suspects was apprehended at his home in Ohio several days later. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled on August 13th, 1952.
The other two suspects, who were brothers, remained at large until 1936 when one, identified as the shooter, was apprehended in California. He was found guilty of first-degree murder and executed in January 1938. A few weeks after his execution the FBI discovered that his brother had committed suicide in Reading, California, on April 20th, 1934.
Bio
- Age 56
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Rifle; Machine gun
- Offender Executed in 1938
Most Recent Reflection
View all 6 ReflectionsRest in peace always knowing that your service and sacrifice will never, ever be forgotten by your law enforcement brethren.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police (Retired)
August 8, 2020
Recent LODD Deaths

Deputy Sheriff Thomas Patrick Barnes
Jefferson Davis County Sheriff's Department, MS
EOW: April 10, 2021

Sergeant James K. Smith
Iowa State Patrol, IA
EOW: April 9, 2021

Police Officer Brent Nelson Hall
Newton Grove Police Department, NC
EOW: April 3, 2021

Deputy Sheriff Christopher Wilson Knight
Bibb County Sheriff's Office, GA
EOW: April 6, 2021

Chief of Police Fred Alan Posavetz
Clinton Township Police Department, MI
EOW: March 22, 2021

Corrections Officer Luis Arturo Hernandez, Sr.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, TX
EOW: March 31, 2021

Lieutenant James Kouski
Hometown Police Department, IL
EOW: April 3, 2021

Police Officer William Evans
United States Capitol Police, US
EOW: April 2, 2021

Sergeant Shane Owens
Broward County Sheriff's Office, FL
EOW: March 27, 2021