Buchanan County Sheriff's Office, Virginia
End of Watch Thursday, August 17, 1905
Add to My HeroesRobert Murphy
Deputy Sheriff Robert 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.
Bio
- Age Not available
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Location West Virginia
- Weapon Rifle
- Offender Charged with murder
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