Rudolph Markl
Detective

Rudolph Markl

Kansas City Police Department — Kansas City, KS
Felonious
End of Watch December 20, 1924
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
The Vigil Panel 48 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Rudy Markl was shot and killed while he and his partner investigated a robbery. They observed a man sitting in a car parked in front of a pharmacy. When they the approached the vehicle the man exited and fled, with Detective Markl's partner in pursuit. Detective Markl then entered the pharmacy where he encountered three additional suspects who opened fire, mortally wounding him. All four men were apprehended and charged with Detective Markl's murder. Two were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. They were denied parole in 1937 and 1939. The other two were acquitted.

Survivors

Detective Markl was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KS-E32B3D87
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

31 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Markl gave the Kansas City Police Department 31 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Markl.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Kansas City, Wyandotte County, KS
Platform Identity kpd.wyandotte.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 20, 1924
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Detective Rudolph Markl 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 KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 70.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Kansas City Police Department, 16 of 20 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Kansas City Police Department
16
of 20 officers
80% Felonious
KS — Statewide
237
of 335 officers
70.7% 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. Rudolph Markl's cause is highlighted.

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

How Rudolph Markl Compares

Years of Service
31
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Rudolph Markl is highlighted in Dec.

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. Rudolph Markl was killed by gun.

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