Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Lewis was shot and killed while responding to reports that a man was walking on North Main Street in Milbank with a .22 caliber rifle. The suspect hid in a shed and opened fire on the sheriff as he searched for him. A service station attendant and a 12-year-old boy were also shot and wounded. The 31-year-old suspect, an ex-convict, had been out of prison less than 24 hours after serving eight years for burglary. He was convicted of Sheriff Lewis' murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life on December 7, 1943. In 1982 he was the second oldest inmate in the South Dakota Penitentiary.
Survivors
Sheriff Lewis was survived by four young children, and his wife who was named deputy sheriff by her husband's successor.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SD-A68E41F5- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Lewis gave the Grant County Sheriff's Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milbank community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Lewis.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Melbourne Lewis is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In SD, 36 of 62 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.1% of this state's fallen. That is 3.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Melbourne Lewis's cause is highlighted.
How Melbourne Lewis Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Melbourne Lewis is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Melbourne Lewis was killed by rifle; .22 caliber.