Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Earl Bucher was shot and killed on New Year's Eve while responding to the scene of a domestic disturbance near Johnstown in which a man had just shot his wife. As Deputy Bucher approached the house around 12 a.m. just south of current Road 36 and Road 13, the man stuck a shotgun out of the door and shot him in the head. The suspect then stole Deputy Bucher's gun and pinned Deputy Bucher's badge onto his own clothing. He was still wearing the badge when he was located by a posse of nearly a dozen officers and a dozen more civilians in a nearby shanty. The man was shot and killed by the posse in a shootout that lasted more than one hour. Deputy Belcher was a WWI Army veteran.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, his parents, his brother, and his sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CO-A257A1B5- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Bucher served with the Weld County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Greeley community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Earl J. Bucher served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff Earl J. Bucher is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CO, 235 of 360 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.3% of this state's fallen. That is 11.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Weld County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Earl J. Bucher's cause is highlighted.
How Earl J. Bucher Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Earl J. Bucher is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Earl J. Bucher was killed by shotgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Weld County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
