Somerset County Sheriff's Office, Maryland
End of Watch Saturday, December 13, 1924
Add to My HeroesLewis Lester Dryden
Deputy Sheriff Lewis Dryden was shot and killed as he and a Princess Anne police officer attempted to serve an arrest warrant on a man who had shot his stepfather.
The officers encountered the suspect walking down the street, carrying the shotgun he had used in the previous shooting. As they attempted to take him into custody the man was able to obtain control of Deputy Dryden's pistol and fatally shot him. He then shot and wounded the Princess Anne police officer before fleeing.
The suspect, age 21, was arrested several days later. He was convicted of Deputy Dryden's murder and sentenced to life in prison. After seven years in prison an order was received to transfer him to the Crownsville Hospital for the insane after he started showing signs of insanity. On January 3, 1932, as guards were removing him the prison he stabbed and critically injured a guard.
Deputy Dryden was survived by his wife.
Bio
- Age 72
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Officer's handgun
- Offender Sentenced to life
Most Recent Reflection
View all 5 ReflectionsCondolences to his family and his friends
Carson loveless
March 30, 2024
Recent LODD Deaths
![Segus R. Jolivette](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27106/c_2024_jolivette.jpg)
Senior Corporal Segus R. Jolivette
Lafayette Police Department, LA
EOW: July 25, 2024
![Mohamed Said](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27101/police-officer-mohamed-said.jpg)
Corporal Mohamed Said
Melvindale Police Department, MI
EOW: July 21, 2024
![Edgar Ordonez](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27100/c_edgar-ordonez.jpg)
Probationary Police Officer Edgar Ordonez
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: July 10, 2024
![Robert William Sumner](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27096/c_robert-sumner.png)
Corporal Robert William Sumner
Oklahoma Department of Corrections, OK
EOW: July 14, 2024
![Matthew Bowen](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27095/police-officer-matthew-bowen.jpg)
Police Officer Matthew Bowen
Vacaville Police Department, CA
EOW: July 11, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Fernando Esqueda
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: July 11, 2024
![Kevin Linn Palmer](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27091/c_k._palmer.jpg)
Assistant Chief Kevin Linn Palmer
North Richland Hills Police Department, TX
EOW: May 1, 2024
![Jamieson Ritter](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27085/police-officer-jamieson-ritter.jpg)
Police Officer Jamieson Ritter
Cleveland Division of Police, OH
EOW: July 4, 2024
![William Butler, Jr.](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27084/c_butler-bill.jpg)
Deputy Sheriff William Butler, Jr.
Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office, MI
EOW: June 27, 2024