Roll of Honor
Roderick D. Gordon
Incident
Patrolman Roderick Gordon was killed after being slashed and stabbed 29 times by a hobo he had found sleeping in a railroad car in Stockton, California. The suspect was later arrested in Ohio and returned to California to face trial. He was convicted of Patrolman Gordon's murder and sentenced to death by hanging. He was executed at Folsom Prison on October 16, 1936. Patrolman Gordon was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWI and a recipient of the Purple Heart. He was survived by his wife and young son. He is buried in San Francisco National Cemetery.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and young son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-E665F683- 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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Roderick is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Gordon served with the Western Pacific Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Roderick D. Gordon served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
Patrolman Roderick D. Gordon 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 97,759 officers honored here.
In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Roderick D. Gordon's cause is highlighted.
How Roderick D. Gordon Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Roderick D. Gordon is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Roderick D. Gordon was killed by edged weapon.
Incident Location
Military Service
Roderick D. Gordon served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
Visit Roderick D. Gordon’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Western Pacific Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw.