Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Joe Brannin was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant on a horse thief in Melville, Montana. Deputy Brannin met the suspect in a saloon and served the warrant. The man asked to collect some belongings before leaving. As the two left, one of the suspect's friends struck Deputy Brannin in the face with a bottle. Deputy Brannin shot the man who struck him, but was then shot by the original suspect. The 29-year-old suspect was arrested six weeks later in Phoenix, Arizona. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to 22 years. On August 12, 1912, while en route to Deer Lodge Penitentiary he jumped from the train and escaped near Butte. Nine weeks later he was arrested in Elko, Nevada, for horse stealing. After serving a three year sentence in Nevada he was returned to Deer Lodge Penitentiary. He was paroled in February of 1919. A year later he was arrested in Dillon, Texas, for cattle rustling. Deputy Brannin had served with the Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Department for one year.
Survivors
He was survived by his mother and 12 siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MT-61C0A8AE- 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 Sheriff Brannin gave the Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Big Timber community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Brannin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Joseph S. Brannin 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 65.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 2 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. Joseph S. Brannin's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph S. Brannin Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph S. Brannin is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph S. Brannin was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
