Melvin Wilmoth
Agency patch
Detective

Melvin Wilmoth

Felonious
End of Watch February 23, 1971
Age 28
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 1545
The Vigil Panel 108 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Melvin Wilmoth was shot and killed while conducting a drug raid on a house on at 6152 Waterman Boulevard. He entered the house behind a group of people who were visiting the location and identified himself. An occupant of the home opened fire with a .22 caliber rifle, fatally wounding Detective Wilmoth. Detective Wilmoth was able to return fire and kill the suspect. Detective Wilmoth was assigned to the Special Operative Deployment Division and had been with the agency for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-7B9CDB91
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 Wilmoth gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Wilmoth.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 23, 1971
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 28
Badge Number 1545
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Detective Melvin Wilmoth 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 112 of 176 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
112
of 176 officers
63.6% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% 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. Melvin Wilmoth's cause is highlighted.

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

How Melvin Wilmoth Compares

Age at Death
28
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Melvin Wilmoth is highlighted in Feb.

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. Melvin Wilmoth was killed by rifle.

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

Incident Location