Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Jasper Whitten and Constable William Wilmoth were shot and killed while attempting to recover a runaway juvenile at a farmhouse 12 miles from Idabel.
It was suspected that the juvenile was with a young man who was staying at the home of a local resident. At 9:00 a.m., when the deputies arrived at the residence, the deputies were unable to locate the juvenile or the young man. Another subject at the residence told the deputies to leave, or he would shoot them. When they asked a second time for the return of the runaway or the young man, the subject opened fire. Constable Wilmoth died that evening, and Deputy Whitten died the following day.
The suspect, who was wanted for bank robberies in the area, was convicted of the murders and sentenced to 99 years for each murder. On May 13, 1936, the suspect participated in an attempted prison escape. In that incident, Prison Guard Charles Powell of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections was shot and killed. The suspect was paroled on October 14, 1958.
The juvenile they were looking for had eloped in Texas with the young man, and neither was aware of the shooting. The man was arrested for his role in the bank robberies.
Deputy Whitten had served with the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office for ten years.
Deputy Whitten had served with the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office for ten years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-0A5373E7- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Whitten gave the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Idabel community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Whitten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Emery Jasper Whitten 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 McCurtain County Sheriff's Office, 8 of 8 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 Jasper Whitten's cause is highlighted.
How Emery Jasper Whitten Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Emery Jasper Whitten is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Emery Jasper Whitten was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from McCurtain County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
