Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department, Indiana
End of Watch Wednesday, February 8, 1928
Add to My HeroesWallace B. McClure
Deputy Wallace McClure and Deputy John Grove were shot and killed while transporting two juvenile prisoners to the Pendleton Penitentiary in Deputy Grove's car.
The prisoners had been convicted of armed robbery and about to serve two to 20 year sentences in prison. When they failed to arrive at the penitentiary, a nationwide manhunt began and the next day the prisoner's uncle saw the prisoners driving Deputy Grove's car near Danville, Illinois. Two days later, the car was found abandoned in Decatur, Illinois, and Deputy Grove's hat was found east of Lafayette near Maple Point.
The bodies of Deputies McClure and Grove were found on February 16 in a field west of Covington in Warren County. Sometime during the transport the prisoners were able to gain control of the deputy's weapons and executed both of them.
One of the prisoners was arrested on May 21 at his uncle's home in West Lafayette and on June 9, he was sentenced to life in prison for murder. After more than three years, the other prisoner was captured in Albuquerque, New Mexico, using an alias name, confessed to the murders and was sentenced to life in prison on January 8, 1932. Both were denied parole in 1945.
Bio
- Age 58
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Officer's handgun
- Offender Sentenced to life
Most Recent Reflection
View all 8 ReflectionsRest in peace Deputy Sheriff McClure.
Rabbi Lewis S. Davis
September 7, 2019
Recent LODD Deaths

Detective Sergeant Stephen R. Desfosses
Norton Police Department, MA
EOW: January 13, 2021

Lieutenant Treva Preston
Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, TX
EOW: January 15, 2021

Police Officer Jerry Steven Hemphill
Lanier Technical College Police Department, GA
EOW: December 16, 2020

Sergeant J. L. "Buck" Dancy
North Little Rock Police Department, AR
EOW: December 2, 2020

Lieutenant Jeff Bain
DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, AL
EOW: January 3, 2021

Correctional Officer David A. Christensen
Washington State Department of Corrections, WA
EOW: December 29, 2020

Lieutenant John Reynolds
Garden Grove Police Department, CA
EOW: January 17, 2021

Corrections Officer Joseph A. Martini
Ulster County Sheriff's Office, NY
EOW: January 17, 2021

Police Officer Arturo Villegas
Alamo Police Department, GA
EOW: January 10, 2021