Leo George Nicholas

Cook County Sheriff's Office - Department of Corrections — Chicago, IL

Felonious

End of Watch June 22, 1932

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 64 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Guard Leo Nicholas was shot and killed in the Cook County Jail by a prisoner with a smuggled handgun.

Guard Nicholas was escorting the prisoner to sickbay when he suddenly produced a handgun and shot him. When cornered by other guards the prisoner shot and killed himself.

Jail officials suspected a woman, claiming to be the suspect's wife, had slipped him the gun during a visit to his cell earlier that morning. The suspect was awaiting trial for the murder of Detective Sergeant John Nerad, of the Cicero Police Department, on July 28th, 1929.

He was survived by his wife and five children.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-95DD69CA
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Guard Nicholas served with the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Guard Nicholas.

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

Agency

Department Cook County Sheriff's Office - Department of Corrections

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Chicago, IL

Platform Identity ccsodcorr.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 22, 1932

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Guard Leo George Nicholas 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 97,756 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Cook County Sheriff's Office - Department of Corrections, 5 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.6% of this agency's fallen.

Cook County Sheriff's Office - Department of Corrections

of 9 officers

55.6% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious