Edmund Guy McMartin

Ventura County Sheriff's Office — Ventura, CA

Felonious

End of Watch August 20, 1921

Age 61

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

The Vigil Panel 41 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 12

Incident

Sheriff Edmund McMartin and City Marshal William Kelley, of the Oxnard Police Department, were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man wanted for murder. Sheriff McMartin had received information the man was at a home at the intersection of Winnetka Avenue and Sherman Way in Los Angeles. The two officers went to the home and spoke to the owner, who informed them the wanted man and an accomplice were staying in a shack in the backyard. When the suspect opened the door he recognized the officers and opened fire with a pistol, fatally wounding both. The man fled but committed suicide a short time later as officers surrounded him. Marshal Kelley had served in law enforcement for 44 years. He had previously served as sheriff of Dakota County, Nebraska, and as the United States Marshal for Nebraska. He was appointed Oxnard's first city marshal in 1898 and also held commissions as a constable and sheriff's deputy. Sheriff McMartin had served with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office for over 19 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-C9C5FD54
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff McMartin gave the Ventura County Sheriff's Office 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Ventura community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff McMartin.

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

Agency

Department Ventura County Sheriff's Office

Location Ventura, CA

Platform Identity vcso.ventura.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 20, 1921

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 61

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Committed suicide

Sheriff Edmund Guy McMartin 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Ventura County Sheriff's Office, 9 of 13 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this agency's fallen.

Ventura County Sheriff's Office

of 13 officers

69.2% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious