James Matt Lawrence

Osceola Police Dept. — Osceola, AR

Felonious

End of Watch October 1, 1910

Age 60

Tour of Duty 30 yrs

The Vigil Panel 24 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

City Marshal James Lawrence was shot and killed by a subject he had just arrested for disorderly conduct and gambling.

The man produced a handgun and shot Marshal Lawrence as he was being walked to the jail. The man also shot the Mississippi County sheriff during the incident.

The subject fled and was never apprehended.

Marshal Lawrence had served with the Osceola Police Department for 30 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-6181F4DD
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

30 years. You could have gone home.
City Marshal Lawrence gave the Osceola Police Department 30 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Osceola community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, City Marshal Lawrence.

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

Agency

Department Osceola Police Dept.

Location Osceola, AR

Platform Identity opd.mississippi.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 1, 1910

Tour of Duty 30 yrs

Age 60

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Never apprehended

City Marshal James Matt Lawrence 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 12.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Osceola Police Dept., 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Osceola Police Dept.

of 4 officers

100% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious