Special Deputy Sheriff
Joseph Louis Walker
Vermillion County Sheriff's Department
Wednesday, December 17, 1930

Age: 31
Served:
Badge #:
Not Included
Not Included

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Gunfire
Date/Time of Incident:
Tuesday, December 16, 1930
09:05 am
Incident to Death Duration:
1 day
Incident Location:
U.S. 36 two miles west of Illinois–Indiana state line
Incident County:
Edgar
Incident Township:
Prairie
Weapon Used:
Thompson submachine gun
Suspect Disposition:
• Killed by police (2)
• Died by suicide
• Paroled in 1950
• Discharged in 1956
Burial Place:
Walnut Grove Cemetery, Clinton

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   Special Deputy Sheriff Joseph Walker was shot and killed while pursuing five suspects who had robbed the Citizens State Bank in Clinton.

   The morning robbery netted the men $15,570 who then fled toward Dana as a posse was formed. When the suspects entered town they were pursued into Illinois on U.S. 36.

   After crossing the state line, Deputy Walker was shot in the stomach by a machine gun mounted in the rear of the suspect's truck and a Clinton police officer was wounded.

   Deputy Walker was taken to St. Anthony Hospital, in Terre Haute, where he died the following day of his wounds.

   A 40-mile pursuit ended in a cornfield about eight miles northwest of Sidell, Illinois, where a 40-year-old suspect was killed and a 68-year-old suspect died by suicide.

   A 50-year-old suspect was wounded and died two days later at a hospital in Danville.

   The two remaining suspects were apprehended, charged and later sentenced to life in prison for bank robbery. They both escaped from the Indiana State Prison in 1933 with eight other inmates but were subsequently recaptured.

   The 26-year-old offender was granted parole by Governor Henry F. Schricker in 1952 and discharged by Governor George N. Craig in 1956. The 28-year-old offender was granted parole by Governor Henry F. Schricker in 1950.

   Members of this group were responsible for the robbery of the Tippecanoe Loan and Trust Company of $831 on November 1, 1927 in which Captain Charles Arman of the Lafayette Police Department was killed in the line of duty.

   The group of men were also suspected of robbing the Farmers State Bank in Frankfort of $140,000 on December 3, 1930.

   Special Deputy Sheriff Walker, from Dana, was survived by his wife, mother, brother and sister. He also served with the Dana Volunteer Fire Department.


Historical Note

• Special Deputy Sheriff Walker is one of eight Indiana line of duty death incidents that occurred in another state.

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This officer, discovered in 2019, has not been submitted for consideration as an eligible line of duty death to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund by the Vermillion County Sheriff's Department.

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Special Deputy Sheriff Joseph Louis Walker - Vermillion County Sheriff's Department - INLEM.org