Bill Lakanen

Wyoming Department of Game and Fish — Cheyenne, WY

Felonious

End of Watch October 31, 1945

Age 44

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 82 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Agent Bill Lakanen and Agent Don Simpson were shot to death in the Sierra Madre mountain range near Rawlings, Wyoming while investigating reports of illegal beaver hunting. The suspect wanted in connection with their murder died in a cabin fire before being taken into custody. Agent Lakanen had served with the Wyoming Department of Game and Fish for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, parents, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WY-E6819D42
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Agent Lakanen gave the Wyoming Department of Game and Fish 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cheyenne community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Agent Lakanen.

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

Agency

Department Wyoming Department of Game and Fish

Type Federal Agency

Location Cheyenne, WY

Platform Identity wdgffed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 31, 1945

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 44

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Agent Bill Lakanen 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 Wyoming Department of Game and Fish, 3 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Wyoming Department of Game and Fish

of 6 officers

50% Felonious

WY — Statewide

of 63 officers

65.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious