Arthur Emil Osborn
Deputy Sheriff

Arthur Emil Osborn

Felonious
End of Watch August 1, 1927
Age 45
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 53 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Arthur Osborn was shot and killed along U.S. Highway 30 two miles west of Pine Bluffs while attempting to arrest a man wanted for cashing stolen bonds at a bank in Cheyenne. Deputy Osborn waved the suspect's car down, and as he approached, the man picked up a gun from the seat and shot him. The man was one of the brothers of the leader of the Barker-Kipnis Gang and the son of the infamous Ma Barker. On August 27th, 1927, he shot and killed Patrolman Joseph Marshall of the Wichita Police Department, Kansas. Deputy Osborn had served with the Laramie County Sheriff's Office for over one year. Survivors include his wife and four children. He is buried in Pine Bluffs Cemetery, Pine Bluffs, Laramie County, Wyoming. The Barker-Karpis Gang committed violent crimes throughout the American Midwest in the late 1920s and mid-1930s. Members and associates of the gang were responsible for the murders of more than ten law enforcement officers. Please click here to view all the law enforcement officers killed by the Barker-Karpis Gang.

Survivors

Survivors include his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-WY-A4C25C78
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Deputy Sheriff Osborn gave the Laramie County Sheriff's Office 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Cheyenne community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Osborn.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY
Platform Identity lcso.laramie.wy.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 1, 1927
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy Sheriff Arthur Emil Osborn is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In WY, 41 of 63 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.1% of this state's fallen. That is 65.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Laramie County Sheriff's Department, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Laramie County Sheriff's Department
3
of 5 officers
60% Felonious
WY — Statewide
41
of 63 officers
65.1% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Arthur Emil Osborn's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Arthur Emil Osborn Compares

Age at Death
45
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1.7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Arthur Emil Osborn is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Arthur Emil Osborn was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location