Deputy Sheriff Robert Murphy

Robert Murphy

Deputy Murphy was shot and killed in Logan County, West Virginia, after delivering a prisoner to the Logan County sheriff. The prisoner had been arrested in Buchanan County, Virginia, and was extradited back to West Virginia.

Deputy Murphy, the sheriff, and a third man were traveling on a railroad velocipede between Logan and Holden when a man fired a single shot from an ambush point along the tracks. The shot struck Deputy Murphy, killing him.

The suspect fled into the woods but was arrested later that night by a posse. Ironically, the posse was led by the suspect's father, who did not realize his son was the suspect. Investigation determined that the suspect intended to ambush a different group of men whom he had quarreled with earlier in the evening and that he opened fire on the lawmen in a case of mistaken identity. The suspect was charged with Deputy Murphy's murder.