Roll of Honor
Incident
Policeman Blucher Soyars and Special Agent Frank Mather, of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, were accidentally shot and killed during a case of mistaken identity. Agent Mather and several other agents had gone to Russellville to arrest liquor violators at the county fair and had not informed local authorities they were there. The agents had taken several prisoners and were holding them in a cabin when several local officers, including Policeman Soyars, went to the cabin to investigate the activity. When the two groups of officers encountered each other there was a misunderstanding and Agent Mather attempted to move towards the door. As he did so someone opened fire and both Policeman Soyars and Agent Mather were shot and killed.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-7E28A480- 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.
Policeman Soyars served with the Russellville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Russellville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Soyars.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Policeman Blucher Soyars is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In KY, 161 of 983 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.4% of this state's fallen. That is 16.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Russellville Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Blucher Soyars's cause is highlighted.
How Blucher Soyars Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Blucher Soyars is highlighted in Oct.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Russellville Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
