John R. Davis Sr.
Police Officer

John R. Davis Sr.

Phoenix Police Department — Phoenix, AZ
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch August 6, 1982
Age 48
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Badge 1841
The Vigil Panel 126 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer John Davis and Police Officer Nacho Conchos were shot and killed when they entered the Valley Squire Cocktail Lounge at 44 East Southern in Phoenix, searching for a bank robbery suspect. At 2:33 pm, a man robbed a bank and fled. Witnesses observed him entering the Valley Squire Cocktail Lounge. Twenty minutes later, Officer Davis and Officer Conchos were in plainclothes and entered the bar searching for the robbery suspect. The subject fired seven shots at the officers before they drew their weapons. Although shot, Officer Davis returned fire and hit the suspect. Officer Davis was transported to Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he succumbed to his wounds one month later. Officer Conchos died at the scene. The suspect, 25, an illegal alien, was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. On October 15, 2022, he was still in prison. Officer Davis was a United States Army veteran and served with the Phoenix Police Department for 12 years. He was survived by his wife, two children, and a grandson. JR Davis Elementary School in Phoenix is named after Officer Davis.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two children, and a grandson.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-2AFDB8E3
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Davis gave the Phoenix Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Phoenix community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ
Platform Identity phoepd.maricopa.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 6, 1982
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 48
Badge Number 1841
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Not available

Military Service

John R. Davis Sr. served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer John R. Davis 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 61.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Phoenix Police Department, 28 of 47 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.6% of this agency's fallen.

Phoenix Police Department
28
of 47 officers
59.6% Felonious
AZ — Statewide
204
of 330 officers
61.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John R. Davis 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 R. Davis Sr. Compares

Age at Death
48
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
12
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John R. Davis Sr. is highlighted in Aug.

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 R. Davis Sr. was killed by not available.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

John R. Davis Sr. served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit John R. Davis Sr.’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.