James Robert Cotner
Agency patch
City Marshal

James Robert Cotner

Felonious
End of Watch March 15, 1930
Age 78
The Vigil Panel 59 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Marshal Cotner was shot and killed while attempting to arrest three suspects who were burglarizing a hardware store at 0200 hours. Marshal Cotner and his deputy marshal fired at the suspects as they fled the store but Marshal Cotner was struck by return fire. Marshal Cotner was taken to St. Paul's Hospital in Dallas where he succumbed to his wounds three hours later. Three suspects were arrested two days later.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-9E3E66C0
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
City Marshal Cotner served with the Nevada City Marshal's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Nevada community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, City Marshal Cotner.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Nevada, TX
Platform Identity nmarshal.collin.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 15, 1930
Age 78
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

City Marshal James Robert Cotner 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 TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Nevada City Marshal's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,461
of 2,422 officers
60.3% 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. James Robert Cotner's cause is highlighted.

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

How James Robert Cotner Compares

Age at Death
78
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Robert Cotner is highlighted in Mar.

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. James Robert Cotner was killed by gun.

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Nevada City Marshal's Office are honored on badge.nw.