John William Sperbeck
Agency patch
Police Officer

John William Sperbeck

Marysville Police Department — Marysville, CA
Felonious
End of Watch September 6, 1915
The Vigil Panel 30 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Sperbeck was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had robbed a citizen earlier in the day. A posse of officers and citizens located the suspect and arrested him. The suspect was convicted of murder and hanged on September 1, 1916. Officer Sperbeck had been with the agency for 14 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-DA972A91
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.
Police Officer Sperbeck served with the Marysville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Marysville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Sperbeck.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Marysville, Yuba County, CA
Platform Identity mpd.yuba.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 6, 1915
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Officer John William Sperbeck 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Marysville Police Department, 5 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Marysville Police Department
5
of 5 officers
100% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

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

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How John William Sperbeck Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John William Sperbeck 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 William Sperbeck was killed by gun.

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