Lee Sylvester Murphy
Agency patch
Patrolman

Lee Sylvester Murphy

Felonious
End of Watch September 22, 1955
Age 61
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 91 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Murphy succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on June 14th, 1953, when he was shot in the shoulder while questioning a driver he had stopped.

The suspect had stolen the car in Hawthorne and had robbed a Tavern in Amery of $400. Although wounded, Patrolman Murphy chased the suspect into Hudson where the man shot and killed Patrolman Clarence Erickson, of the Hudson Police Department. The suspect shot Patrolman Erickson as he fled from his vehicle at a roadblock. Other officers shot and killed the suspect.

Patrolman Murphy had to undergo several surgeries. He suffered a stroke after one of the surgeries and never recovered.

Patrolman Murphy served with the St. Croix County Traffic Police which was later absorbed into the St. Croix County Sheriff's Office.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-WI-6FA26980
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.
Patrolman Murphy gave the St. Croix County Traffic Police 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hudson community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Murphy.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Hudson, WI
Platform Identity scctpd.stcroix.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 22, 1955
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 61
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Patrolman Lee Sylvester Murphy 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 WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 50.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

St. Croix County Traffic Police
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
WI — Statewide
159
of 317 officers
50.2% 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. Lee Sylvester Murphy's cause is highlighted.

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

How Lee Sylvester Murphy Compares

Age at Death
61
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lee Sylvester Murphy 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. Lee Sylvester Murphy was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from St. Croix County Traffic Police are honored on badge.nw.