Edward G. J. Spilcker
Agency patch
Police Officer

Edward G. J. Spilcker

Felonious
End of Watch January 31, 1915
Age 31
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 29 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Edward Spilcker succumbed to wounds suffered three weeks earlier when he attempted to arrest two robbery suspects of a drugstore at Lucas Street and 11th Street. As he searched one of the suspects the other shot him with a .32 caliber automatic pistol. The two suspects were apprehended in Alton, Illinois, returned to St. Louis, and identified by Officer Spilcker before his death. Both were connected and admitted to police that they had committed at least 10 store and saloon robberies in the past five weeks since coming to St. Louis. In each robbery they locked the individual they robbed in an icebox. On March 17, 1915, both suspects, 34 and 25, were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. The oldest died in prison on September 1, 1942. The other subject escaped on February 23, 1935. No further information about him.

Survivors

Officer Spilcker had been with the agency for four years and was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-DF413819
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.
Police Officer Spilcker gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Spilcker.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 31, 1915
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Police Officer Edward G. J. Spilcker 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 112 of 176 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
112
of 176 officers
63.6% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% 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. Edward G. J. Spilcker's cause is highlighted.

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

How Edward G. J. Spilcker Compares

Age at Death
31
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Edward G. J. Spilcker is highlighted in Jan.

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. Edward G. J. Spilcker was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location