Roll of Honor

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Night Police Chief

John C. Leonard Sr.

Toluca Police Department — Toluca, IL

Felonious

End of Watch September 21, 1925

Age 55

The Vigil Panel 50 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Chief John Leonard and Sheriff Orville Litchfield, of the Marshall County Sheriff's Department, were shot and killed when they attempted to arrest a man for beating his wife.

The suspect escaped after the murders and was the focus of a large manhunt. He was arrested by Evanston, Illinois, detectives in July 1926.

The 60 year-old suspect was convicted of murder and died in prison on May 11, 1933.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-055CA0B4
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Night Police Chief Leonard served with the Toluca Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Toluca community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Night Police Chief Leonard.

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

Agency

Department Toluca Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Toluca, IL

Platform Identity tpd.marshall.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 21, 1925

Age 55

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Night Police Chief John C. Leonard Sr. 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Toluca Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John C. Leonard Sr.'s cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How John C. Leonard Sr. Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John C. Leonard Sr. is highlighted in Sep.

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. John C. Leonard Sr. 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 Toluca Police Department are honored on badge.nw.