Joseph P. Heinrichs

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch March 15, 1899

The Vigil Panel 15 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal Heinrichs was killed by a suspect he had arrested for selling whiskey in Indian Territory. On Tuesday, March 14, 1899, Deputy Marshal Heinrichs and a posse-man arrested the suspect in the Cherokee Nation for selling whiskey. Deputy Marshal Heinrichs took the prisoner to his home in Tahlequah to spend the night before transporting him to the federal jail in Muskogee. The posseman did not accompany them. Deputy Marshal Heinrichs slept in the same bed as his prisoner. About 3 A.M., Deputy Marshal Heinrich's wife and two daughters were awakened by a gunshot. Deputy Marshal Heinrichs was found dead in the bed and it was discovered that the suspect had escaped out a window. The suspect was captured two days later and charged with the deputy marshal’s death. The posseman was also charged when the suspect alleged he had given him the gun and several rounds of ammunition to escape.

Survivors

Deputy Marshal Heinrichs was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-42512404
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

127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Heinrichs served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 15, 1899

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Captured and Charged

Deputy U.S. Marshal Joseph P. Heinrichs 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

251

of 313 officers

80.2% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious