Arthur J. DeMarrais
Agency patch
Detective

Arthur J. DeMarrais

Felonious
End of Watch November 7, 1937
Age 41
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Badge 944
Gender Male

Incident

Arthur J. DeMarrais Jr. joined the New York City Police Department on 11 October 1920. He became a detective third grade in 1925 and was raised to first grade in 1928, and he was known as one of the keenest plainclothes men in Brooklyn. Among his cases were the murder of six-year-old Helen Sterler, a $100,000 jewel robbery from a Brooklyn home in 1929, and, in 1934, a six-month investigation into securities stolen from five branches of the Citizens Bank. At the end he was with the 13th Detective District, carrying shield 944.

On 7 November 1937 he answered a call from a woman named Virginia Lundy, whom a man named John Brown had threatened after she turned down his proposal of marriage. He found Brown with a metal pipe, menacing her two young children. Brown struck him on the head with the pipe, but the detective subdued him. On the way to the station house Brown bit him on the cheek and broke away, and Detective DeMarrais fired twice, hitting him in the chest.

His injuries were not thought to be serious, but he died during surgery at Brooklyn Hospital, five hours after the attack, when food came up into his throat as the anaesthetic wore off and he choked. He was 41.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
October 17, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective DeMarrais gave the New York City Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective DeMarrais.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 7, 1937
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 41
Badge Number 944
Gender Male
Assignment 18th Division, 13th Detective District

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Arthur is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1937, 123 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 41st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Arthur was 41. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Arthur had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Arthur among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Arthur J. DeMarrais

New York City Police Department · End of Watch November 7, 1937

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 28-E

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