Officer
Thomas Richard Graham
Indianapolis Police Department
Tuesday, October 12, 1965

Age: 39
Served: 9 years
Badge #: 635
Panel 55W, Line 11
Panel L21, Line 2

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Gunfire
Date/Time of Incident:
Tuesday, October 12, 1965
07:00 pm
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
50 North Alabama Street, Indianapolis
Incident County:
Marion
Incident Township:
Center
Weapon Used:
Officer's handgun
Suspect Disposition:
Sentenced to life
Burial Place:
New Crown Cemetery, Indianapolis

Share this Memorial
   

   Officer Thomas Graham was shot and killed with his own service weapon after a burglary suspect gained control of his revolver.

   The prisoner was being transported from the scene of a north side business burglary to police headquarters. As they approached the entrance to the prisoners' elevator in the basement to proceed to the fifth-floor jail, a physical struggle ensued between the two.

   Officer Graham was shot in the head by the prisoner and he was transported to General Hospital where he died nearly three hours later.

   The 28-year-old suspect fled the scene but was apprehended after a 41-hour manhunt when police received a tip he was hiding at a boarding house. He was arrested on a warrant for first-degree murder and found mentally incompetent to stand trial.

   After being committed for four years to the Dr. Norman M. Beatty Memorial Hospital in Westville, a state psychiatric hospital that also served the criminally insane, he waived a jury trail and pleaded guilty by reason of insanity.

   He was sentenced to life in prison which was later reversed by the judge. In a new trial, he was found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury in a change of venue to Hancock County and again sentenced to life in prison.

   Officer Graham was survived by his wife.

Military Service


United States Navy
World War II

   

Bronze Star Medal (5)
World War II Victory Medal


The responsibilities of the Indianapolis Police Department (1854–2006) are now under the jurisdiction of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

View all fallen officers from the
Indianapolis Police Department

Donate in memory of
Officer Graham
Officer Thomas Richard Graham - Indianapolis Police Department - INLEM.org