L. Seeley Houk
Agency patch
Game Officer

L. Seeley Houk

Pennsylvania Game Commission — Harrisburg, PA
Felonious
End of Watch March 2, 1906
The Vigil Panel 20 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Game Officer Seeley Houk was shot and killed by the leader of an organized crime ring in Hillsville. He was fatally shot while while issuing game violation citations to a group of immigrants.

After shooting Officer Houk the man weighted down his body and submerged it in the Mahoning River in Lawrence County.

The suspect was sentenced to death and hanged in October 1909.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-357354B7
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew L.. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Game Officer Houk served with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Thank you for your service to the Harrisburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Game Officer Houk.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Harrisburg, PA
Platform Identity pgc.dauphin.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 2, 1906
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Game Officer L. Seeley Houk 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Pennsylvania Game Commission, 5 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.7% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania Game Commission
5
of 12 officers
41.7% Felonious
PA — Statewide
597
of 1,261 officers
47.3% 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. L. Seeley Houk's cause is highlighted.

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

How L. Seeley Houk Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. L. Seeley Houk is highlighted in Mar.

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. L. Seeley Houk was killed by shotgun.

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

Incident Location