Jake Bowman
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Jake Bowman

Felonious
End of Watch April 25, 1893
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 12 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Jake Bowman was shot and killed when he was attacked by a group of Apache Indians led by the Apache Kid near the hot springs in Sonora, Mexico. The Apache Kid was wanted for murdering Sheriff Glenn Reynold and Deputy Sheriff Williams Holmes, of the Gila County Sheriff's Office in 1889, and Chief of Police Ben Williams of the Bisbee Police Department in 1890. Deputy Bowman had learned that the Apache Kid may be in the area of the Hot Springs and set out with another deputy to scout the area. They went to investigate a column of smoke rising from a small canyon in Guadalupe Canyon near the Slaughter Ranch. As they approached the area they were ambushed and Deputy Bowman was fatally shot. The other deputy was able to escape through the thick brush. Deputy Bowman's body was recovered several days later and returned to Arizona for burial. The Apache Kid was a former sergeant of the U.S. Army's Indian Scouts who assisted General George Crook in the capture of Geronimo. He was later charged with desertion and murder following a drunken riot in which several Indians were killed. In 1888, he was sent to Alcatraz, but his conviction was overturned one year later. Soon afterward, he and several other Indians were re-arrested and again convicted of the charges. While being transported to the Yuma Territorial Prison, they escaped, resulting in the murders of Sheriff Glenn Reynolds and Deputy William Holmes. For the next five years, the Apache Kid and his fellow warriors went along the U.S.-Mexican border, committing murders and other crimes along both sides of the border. The Apache Kid mysteriously disappeared in 1894.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-CD08E02F
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

133 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Bowman gave the Cochise County Sheriff's Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bisbee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Location Bisbee, AZ
Platform Identity ccso.cochise.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 25, 1893
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Never apprehended

Deputy Sheriff Jake Bowman 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 AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Cochise County Sheriff's Department, 14 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 93.3% of this agency's fallen.

Cochise County Sheriff's Department
14
of 15 officers
93.3% Felonious
AZ — Statewide
204
of 330 officers
61.8% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jake Bowman's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Jake Bowman Compares

Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Never apprehended

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jake Bowman is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jake Bowman was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location