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Police Officer

Samuel Henry Neal

Muskogee Police Department — Muskogee, OK

Felonious

End of Watch December 26, 1915

Age 39

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 30 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Police Officer Sam Neal was shot and killed while confronting a suspicious person while on night patrol.

He observed the man carrying a large bag. When he approached the man and asked him what was in the bag the man whipped out a revolver and shot him in the right arm. Unable to use his gun Officer Neal grappled with the suspect. During the struggle, Officer Neal was shot in the head. He lived long enough to tell other officers who his assailant was and also described another man who was with him. It was later discovered that the two had burglarized a nearby business.

Both suspects were captured a few hours later on a train near Porum. The suspect who killed Officer Neal was convicted of his murder and executed in the electric chair on April 13th, 1917.

Officer Neal had served with the Muskogee Police Department for three years and had previously served as a Justice of the Peace for the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children and is buried at Greenhill Cemetery in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He was survived by his wife and three children and is buried at Greenhill Cemetery in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-0EE4C1D6
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Neal gave the Muskogee Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Muskogee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Neal.

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

Agency

Department Muskogee Police Department

Location Muskogee, OK

Platform Identity mpd.muskogee.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 26, 1915

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Executed in 1917

Police Officer Samuel Henry Neal is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Muskogee Police Department, 6 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Muskogee Police Department

of 8 officers

75% Felonious

OK — Statewide

403

of 582 officers

69.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious