Roll of Honor

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Sheriff

Robert D. Lester

Crawford County Sheriff's Department — Prairie du Chien, WI

Felonious

End of Watch March 21, 1844

The Vigil Panel 1 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff Lester was shot and killed after being ambushed by a Indian. He was paddling down a river in a canoe when the suspect opened fire from an ambush position behind a tree. The suspect was apprehended a few days later and charged with murder. It was determined that he intended to rob Sheriff Lester. Charges against the suspect were dismissed seven months later when the only witness did not show up for the trial. A few days later the suspects body was found. His throat had been cut from ear to ear.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WI-91CB8BAB
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

182 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Lester served with the Crawford County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Prairie du Chien community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Crawford County Sheriff's Department

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Prairie du Chien, Crawford County, WI

Platform Identity ccso.crawford.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 21, 1844

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Sheriff Robert D. Lester 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 WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 50.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Crawford County Sheriff's Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

WI — Statewide

159

of 317 officers

50.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert D. Lester's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Robert D. Lester Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert D. Lester is highlighted in Mar.

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. Robert D. Lester was killed by rifle.

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 Crawford County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.