Marta Shanaman
Agency patch
Police Matron

Marta Shanaman

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch December 12, 1971
Age 54
Tour of Duty 15 yrs 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 109 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Matron Marta Shanaman was shot and killed during an escape attempt at the Detroit Police Department’s women's detention facility. The suspect, a 22-year-old woman, was a visitor, who attempted to liberate a female prison she was visiting, when she shot Matron Shanaman. She was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. As of October 5, 2022, she was still in prison. Matron Shanaman is buried in Lodi Cemetery, Orange Township, Kalkaska County, Michigan.

Survivors

She was survived by her son, two brohers, her sister and a step-sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-8E119EDC
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.
Police Matron Shanaman gave the Detroit Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Matron Shanaman.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 12, 1971
Tour of Duty 15 yrs 6 mo
Age 54
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Matron Marta Shanaman 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 MI, 426 of 719 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.2% of this state's fallen. That is 59.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.

Detroit Police Department
177
of 250 officers
70.8% Felonious
MI — Statewide
426
of 719 officers
59.2% 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. Marta Shanaman's cause is highlighted.

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

How Marta Shanaman Compares

Age at Death
54
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
15.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Marta Shanaman is highlighted in Dec.

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. Marta Shanaman was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location