Charles W. Adams
Agency patch
Constable

Charles W. Adams

Felonious
End of Watch September 5, 1949
Age 69
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 85 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Constable Charles Adams succumbed to gunshot wounds received two days earlier when he attempted to arrest a man for being drunk in public.

Constable Adams responded to a disturbance involving a suspect drunk in public who had fled to his residence. When Constable Adams approached to make an arrest, the suspect produced a handgun and shot Constable Adams in the throat, chest, and stomach. Constable Adams was found in his car near the scene.

The suspect was captured by a posse near Idabel, Oklahoma, the next day. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison October 16, 1949. He was paroled April 18, 1967.

Constable Adams had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife and three children.

Survivors

Constable Adams had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-E803D61D
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.
Constable Adams gave the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Idabel community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Adams.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Idabel, McCurtain County, OK
Platform Identity mcso.mccurtain.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 5, 1949
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 69
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Constable Charles W. Adams 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 69.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At McCurtain County Sheriff's Office, 8 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

McCurtain County Sheriff's Office
8
of 8 officers
100% Felonious
OK — Statewide
403
of 582 officers
69.2% 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. Charles W. Adams's cause is highlighted.

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

How Charles W. Adams Compares

Age at Death
69
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles W. Adams is highlighted in Sep.

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. Charles W. Adams was killed by handgun.

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