Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Emery McCreight was shot and killed when he and his partner discovered two men attempting to break into the Murphy-Benham Hardware Store at 66 N. South Street around midnight. The suspect who police believed shot Patrolman McCreight was arrested and charged with his murder. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. During his trial and afterward, the suspect pleaded that he was innocent. In late December of 1922, a Jamestown man was arrested after he boasted to friends that two notches cut in the butt of his pistol represented two dead policemen. The man confessed that he murdered Patrolman McCreight and had also murdered Police Officer Elvas Matthews, of the Xenia Police Department, on December 21st, 1922. The man was convicted of Patrolman McCreight's murder and sentenced to life in prison on February 20th, 1923. He was paroled July 30th, 1945. His accomplice was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to one to 20 years in the Mansfield Reformatory. The man wrongly convicted of Patrolman McCreight's murder was released.
Survivors
Patrolman McCreight was survived by his wife and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-66CA54DD- 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.
Patrolman McCreight served with the Wilmington Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Wilmington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman McCreight.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Emery Elsunth McCreight 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Wilmington Police Department, 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. Emery Elsunth McCreight's cause is highlighted.
How Emery Elsunth McCreight Compares
Offender Outcome
Paroled in 1945
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Emery Elsunth McCreight is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Emery Elsunth McCreight was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Wilmington Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
