Samuel Elgin "Sam" Roberts

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch July 5, 1907

Age 49

The Vigil Panel 21 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Special Deputy Marshal Sam Roberts was shot and killed near Porum, Indian Territory (modern day Oklahoma), during a July 4th picnic. He and another deputy attempted to search a soda stand for illegal liquor when its operators opened fire on them. Deputy Marshal Roberts was killed and the other deputy was wounded. Two subjects turned themselves in later in the evening.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-23658365
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.
Special Deputy Marshal Roberts served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Marshal Roberts.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 5, 1907

Age 49

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Arrested

Special Deputy Marshal Samuel Elgin "Sam" Roberts 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

251

of 313 officers

80.2% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious