Cleo Meeks
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Cleo Meeks

Felonious
End of Watch October 21, 1967
Age 54
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 103 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Meeks was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant. At about 8 p.m. he was assisting a Kiowa County deputy sheriff in serving an arrest warrant on a 19-year-old man for burglary. As the deputies approached the house the young man's father opened fire on the deputies, wounding both. Deputy Meeks was shot in the head and chest. The Kiowa deputy was critically wounded. The target of the arrest warrant dragged the wounded Kiowa deputy to safety and called police and medical assistance. The Kiowa County deputy survived his wounds. The 56-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on Dec. 11, 1967. He was denied parole in 1975.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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.
Deputy Sheriff Meeks gave the Washita County Sheriff's Office 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cordell community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Meeks.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Cordell, Washita County, OK
Platform Identity wcso.washita.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 21, 1967
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Deputy Sheriff Cleo Meeks 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 Washita County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.6% of this agency's fallen.

Washita County Sheriff's Office
5
of 9 officers
55.6% 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. Cleo Meeks's cause is highlighted.

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

How Cleo Meeks Compares

Age at Death
54
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
12
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Cleo Meeks is highlighted in Oct.

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. Cleo Meeks was killed by rifle.

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