Thomas B. Dunigan
Agency patch
Reserve Deputy

Thomas B. Dunigan

Morgan County Sheriff's Office — Martinsville, IN
Felonious
End of Watch December 26, 1975
Age 35
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo
Badge 37
The Vigil Panel 116 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Reserve Deputy Thomas Dunigan was shot and killed while attempting to stop a bank robbery suspect. He was off duty visiting the county jail when the bank robbery call was reported. Reserve Deputy Dunigan took a reserve patrol car and responded to the scene. Another deputy spotted the suspect vehicle heading in the opposite direction but could not turn around to follow it due to snow in the median. The deputy transmitted the suspect's direction and Reserve Deputy Dunigan waited for the suspect at an exit. Several minutes later a passer-by made a radio transmission that an officer had been shot. Reserve Deputy Dunigan was found by other officers with a shotgun wound to the head. The suspect was later apprehended and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Reserve Deputy Dunigan and 20 years for the bank robbery. He was again denied parole in November 2010. In December 2011 the subject died while still in prison. Reserve Deputy Dunigan had served with the Morgan County Sheriff's Department for 1½ years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-39BD8FAC
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

You barely got started.
Reserve Deputy Dunigan gave the Morgan County Sheriff's Office 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Martinsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Deputy Dunigan.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Martinsville, Morgan County, IN
Platform Identity mcso.morgan.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 26, 1975
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo
Age 35
Badge Number 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Reserve Deputy Thomas B. Dunigan 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 61.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Morgan County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Morgan County Sheriff's Office
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
IN — Statewide
311
of 503 officers
61.8% 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. Thomas B. Dunigan's cause is highlighted.

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

How Thomas B. Dunigan Compares

Age at Death
35
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas B. Dunigan 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. Thomas B. Dunigan was killed by shotgun.

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

1 officer from Morgan County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.