Roll of Honor
Incident
Marshal James Burns was shot and killed by a man who the marshal had confiscated several firearms from. The suspect fled to a cabin where he was discovered two days later. The man was lynched by an angry mob. Marshal Burns had served with the agency for five years and had served as sheriff of Sanpete County for the previous six years. He was survived by his wife and six children and is buried in Mount Pleasant City Cemetery, Mount Pleasant, Utah. His father, James Christopher Burns, had been shot and killed in the line of duty on September 26, 1894, while serving as sheriff of the Sanpete County Sheriff's Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and six children and is buried in Mount Pleasant City Cemetery, Mount Pleasant, Utah.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-UT-7F9990B5- 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.
Marshal Burns gave the Castle Gate Marshal's Office 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Helper community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Marshal Burns.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Marshal James Milton Burns 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 UT, 84 of 138 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this state's fallen. That is 6.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Milton Burns's cause is highlighted.
How James Milton Burns Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched by mob
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Milton Burns is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Milton Burns was killed by gun; unknown type.