Editor’s note: These are the stories of  the Bannock County law enforcement officials who have been killed in the line of duty. Some of these names link to another article with more information about the officer and the incident, including original Pocatello Tribune (Idaho State Journal) articles. 

• Deputy Sheriff D. H. Dillingham

Bannock County Sheriff’s Department

End of Watch: Monday, June 29, 1863

Cause: Gunfire

Deputy Dillingham was shot and killed in Virginia City, Montana, by three men who were seeking revenge against him. Deputy Dillingham had discovered that the three, one of whom was a fellow deputy, were going to rob two miners and warned the intended victims. When the three suspects learned of the warning they located Deputy Dillingham and shot him.

Two of the men were sentenced to death but on a second jury vote were sentenced to banishment from Virginia City.

Deputy Dillingham had only been appointed a deputy the previous month.

• Deputy Sheriff W. J. McFadden

Bannock County Sheriff’s Department

End of Watch: Saturday, August 23, 1913

Cause: Gunfire

Deputy Sheriff W.J. McFadden was shot and killed in Grace, Idaho, by a man he attempted to arrest on a charge of bootlegging.

The suspect was apprehended three days later in Cobre, Nevada. Six weeks later he was convicted of Deputy McFadden’s murder and sentenced to life. On May 23rd, 1914, he was shot and killed when he attempted to escape from the Idaho Penitentiary.

Deputy McFadden was survived by his wife and two children. Click here to read more about this incident.

• Deputy Sheriff Eugene Taylor

Bannock County Sheriff’s Department

End of Watch: Friday, December 11, 1914

Cause: Gunfire

Deputy Sheriff Eugene Taylor was shot and fatally wounded during an escape attempt at the county jail.

As Deputy Taylor entered the jail corridor a prisoner shot him in the abdomen with a smuggled automatic handgun. Another prisoner seized the handgun and prevented the subject from escaping. Deputy Taylor was transported to Pocatello General Hospital where he died later that evening.

The prisoner was being held for federal authorities after being charged with selling whiskey to indians. On March 23, 1915, he was convicted of Deputy Taylor’s murder and sentenced to life. On October 10, 1942, he was sentenced to an additional 5 years for a arson conviction at the Idaho State Penitentiary.

Deputy Taylor was survived by his wife and young son. Click here to read more about this incident.

Sherrod

• J.C. Sherrod, 26, Pocatello Police Department, was shot on Oct. 14, 1918, by an unknown gunman while investigating suspicious circumstances.

Officer Sherrod was shot and killed while investigating a peeping tom. Officer Sherrod was on patrol when he observed the man looking into the front door of a residence. When Officer Sherrod approached, the man fled to the back of the house. Officer Sherrod chased him but was shot in the back of the home. The suspect escaped.

Officer Sherrod had been with the agency for 14 months and was survived by his wife, Verona Chugg Sherrod.

James Clyde Sherrod was born Feb. 18, 1891. He is buried in Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Salt Lake City.

• Charles H Torrance

Power County Sheriff’s Office

Shot on March 17, 1921, died on March 20

Birth: Jun. 30, 1867 in Milwaukie, Clackamas County, Oregon.

Deputy Charles H. Torrance was shot several times by farmer W.H. Ball. Torrance and several other men responded to Ball’s cabin after he had shot his neighbor. Ball was also shot, resulting in one arm being amputated, but he recovered.  Click here to read more about this incident.

• Sam Garbett, 63, Pocatello Police Department, was shot on July 23, 1924, while trying to arrest George Rivea for making improper proposals to a woman. Police Chief L.A. Lehrebas was wounded.

Detective Samuel Garbett was shot and killed when he and the police chief responded to a report of a man breaking into a residence and assaulting a woman. Upon arriving on the scene the officers and suspect exchanged gunfire. Detective Garbett and the suspect were both fatally wounded. The chief was seriously wounded but recovered.

Detective Garbett was survived by his 11 children. His wife preceeded him in death. His two oldest sons moved back home after his death to take care of their younger siblings.

• F.F. (Bob) Hunter,  37, Alameda Marshal’s Office, was shot on July 12, 1939, by Britt Hargraves while responding to a family quarrel. The gunman was later captured after wounding two Pocatello officers and turning the gun on himself.

He was born Sept. 5, 1902 in Decatur Tennessee. Click here to read more about this incident.

• Daniel Woodland, 44, Downey Village Marshal, was shot on July 16, 1964, in a gun battle with burglars at the Downey Grain Growers Plant. Click here to read more about this incident.

• K9 Kai

Bannock County Sheriff’s Department

EOW: Saturday, March 5, 1994

Cause: Gunfire

K9 Kai was shot and killed by an armed subject who had been observed walking up and down a highway.

More than 500 people attended the memorial service for Kai. There were about 70 vehicles in the motorcade, including city, county and state police. The motorcade went from the Idaho State University Holt Arena to the Bannock County Veterans Memorial building at 300 N. Johnson Ave.

Kai was the first K9 killed in Idaho, and his handler, Andy Thomas, received the Medal of Valor for Kai.

Click here to read Kai’s story.

Click here to find a list of all of the Idaho law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.