Nathaniel Jefferson Hutson
Chief of Police

Nathaniel Jefferson Hutson

Cape Girardeau Police Department — Cape Girardeau, MO
Felonious
End of Watch October 7, 1922
Age 49
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
The Vigil Panel 44 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief Hutson was shot and killed when he and another officer went to the home of a suspect who had escaped from custody while being taken to the Missouri Reformatory to serve a term for auto theft. The other officer was able to return fire and kill the suspect. Chief Hutson had served 15 years in law enforcement. He served one term as the Sheriff of Cape Girardeau. He returned to the Cape Girardeau Police Department in 1921 because the sheriff at that time could not succeed himself in office. He had been Police Chief for seven months prior to his death.

Survivors

Chief Hutson was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-5F8C0E61
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.
Chief of Police Hutson gave the Cape Girardeau Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cape Girardeau community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Hutson.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Cape Girardeau, MO
Platform Identity cgpd.capegir.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 7, 1922
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 49
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Chief of Police Nathaniel Jefferson Hutson 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 Cape Girardeau Police Department, 5 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Cape Girardeau Police Department
5
of 5 officers
100% 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. Nathaniel Jefferson Hutson's cause is highlighted.

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

How Nathaniel Jefferson Hutson Compares

Age at Death
49
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
15
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Nathaniel Jefferson Hutson is highlighted in Oct.

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. Nathaniel Jefferson Hutson was killed by gun.

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