Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer John McNett and Constable Joseph Grant were shot and killed while transporting three burglary suspects to jail.
While the officers escorted the suspects, the men shot and killed both officers.
In 1899 a convict in Minnesota confessed to killing Officer Helms of Kansas, Officers Grant and McNett of Illinois, a woman in Geneva, Illinois and shooting a policeman in Guide Rock, Nebraska.
Officer McNett had served with the Geneva Police Department for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-418D1EA9- 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
141 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer McNett gave the Geneva Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Geneva community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer John Riley McNett 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 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 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Geneva Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Riley McNett's cause is highlighted.
How John Riley McNett Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Riley McNett is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Geneva Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
