Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Kansas
End of Watch Monday, June 23, 1952
Add to My HeroesWillard N. Carver
Sergeant Willard Carver was shot and killed when he and another officer attempted to arrest two men for auto theft on a gravel road west of Zarah.
They found a stolen car stuck in a ditch and hid nearby to wait for the suspects to return. When the men arrived with a stolen truck to pull the car out the deputies confronted them and ordered them to put their hands up. The men opened fire and Sergeant Carver was shot through the heart. As the other officer returned fire the suspects ran into a nearby woods.
One of the suspects was captured a short time later. The other suspect was captured in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 30th, 1952. Both men, ex-convicts, and brother-in-laws, were convicted of first degree murder. One, 37, was sentenced to life in prison on December 2nd, 1952, and the other, 42, was hanged on July 16th, 1954.
Sergeant Carver was a U.S. Navy veteran and recipient of both the Purple Heart and Presidential Citation for action during the invasion of Normandy Beach. He had served with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office for four years.
Bio
- Age 31
- Tour 4 years
- Badge 929
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender One executed; One sentenced to life
Most Recent Reflection
View all 11 ReflectionsNever shall it be forgotten the sacrifice you gave for others of yourself! RIP ❤️
L Gelinas
From my heart to yours!
July 7, 2022
Recent LODD Deaths
Trooper Corey S. Thompsen
Illinois State Police, IL
EOW: October 18, 2024
Detective Maurice "Mo" Joseph
Norfolk Police Department, VA
EOW: October 9, 2024
Corrections Officer Bradford D. McNew
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, FL
EOW: October 12, 2024
Corporal Raymond Kuuchi
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services, US
EOW: September 2, 2024
Park Ranger Kevin Melvin Grossheim
United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, US
EOW: October 6, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Lex Allen Love
Wise County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: October 2, 2024
Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia
Cameron County Constable's Office - Precinct 1, TX
EOW: September 30, 2024
Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez-Vasquez
Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, TX
EOW: September 28, 2024
Constable Shane R. Eyre
Vienna Town Constable's Office, NY
EOW: September 1, 2024