Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Lester Dorman, Sergeant Miles Jackson and Sheriff James Petray of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department were shot and killed as they attempted to arrest several suspects staying in a Santa Rosa home. The suspects, members of the Howard Street or Spud Murphy gang, had brutally attacked a group of girls in San Francisco and were tracked to a house on West 7th Street in Santa Rosa. The three officers entered the house where the suspects were staying to arrest them. One suspect was sitting on a couch, another one was sitting in the corner of the same room. As the officers began placing the suspects under arrest, the suspect sitting on the couch jumped up with a revolver and shot Detective Dorman, who later died. Sergeant Jackson, who was in another room rushed to the shots, but he too was shot and killed. Before he fell dead, Sergeant Jackson was able to shoot and wound one suspect. Sheriff Petray was also shot and killed during the incident. The suspects were arrested later in the day and brought to the local jail. An angry group of men demanded the killers be turned over to them to be hanged. After a standoff the mob finally prevailed and the suspects were dragged from their cells and hung. Detective Dorman had served with the San Francisco Police Department for six years. He was survived by his wife and parents. He is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemtery, Colma, San Mateo County, California.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-4C144C7C- 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.
Detective Dorman gave the San Francisco Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Dorman.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Lester Dorman 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At San Francisco Police Department, 66 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lester Dorman's cause is highlighted.
How Lester Dorman Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lester Dorman is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Lester Dorman was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
105 officers from San Francisco Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
