Roll of Honor

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Night Marshal

Ray Richardson

Cardwell Police Department — Cardwell, MO

Felonious

End of Watch September 10, 1952

Age 53

The Vigil Panel 88 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Night Marshal Ray Richardson was beaten to death with a cue stick while attempting to arrest the owner of a pool hall at 8:30 pm. He was taken to a local hospital where he died shortly after midnight. The 44-year-old suspect was sent to prison where he died in 1960.

Survivors

Marshal Richardson was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-321975AC
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.
Night Marshal Richardson served with the Cardwell Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cardwell community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Night Marshal Richardson.

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

Agency

Department Cardwell Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Cardwell, Dunklin County, MO

Platform Identity cardpd.dunklin.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 10, 1952

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object

Night Marshal Ray Richardson 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%.

Cardwell Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ray Richardson's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Ray Richardson Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ray Richardson is highlighted in Sep.

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. Ray Richardson was killed by blunt object.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Cardwell Police Department are honored on badge.nw.