Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Constable James Stapleton, Sheriff Joe Talbott, and Deputy Sheriff John McDonald were shot, beaten, and killed while transporting three auto theft suspects they had arrested to jail. They had arrested the suspects in Marshall and were transporting them to Lexington. At some point, the suspects shot all three men, dumped them into a field, robbed them of their items, and then stole Sheriff Talbott's patrol car. When the deputies and sheriff did not report back that evening or the next morning, a search party was initiated. Two days later, farmers found their badly beaten bodies in the woods near Prairie Church, seven miles south of Lexington. Deputy Sheriff McDonald and Sheriff Talbott were mortally injured. Deputy Stapleton was still alive but succumbed to his injuries on May 9, 1919. One suspect was later arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life on July 4, 1920. He was granted a new trial and acquitted on September 14, 1922. Deputy Stapleton had served with the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department for one year.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-68736BD0- 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
You barely got started.
Deputy Constable Stapleton gave the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Lexington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Constable Stapleton.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Constable James C. Stapleton 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Lafayette County Sheriff's Department, 3 of 3 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. James C. Stapleton's cause is highlighted.
How James C. Stapleton Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James C. Stapleton is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James C. Stapleton was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Lafayette County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
