Roll of Honor

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Deputy Sheriff

Tom Walsh

Union County Sheriff's Office — Creston, IA

Felonious

End of Watch December 4, 1899

Age 23

The Vigil Panel 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Tom Walsh was shot and killed by a man when he made a visit to the man's farm to serve him with legal papers.

The 50-year-old subject surrendered to local law enforcement officials later the same day. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on April 11th, 1900. He escaped in 1915 and captured in 1929. He was returned to Ft. Madison Penitentiary and paroled in 1934.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-2086DFEA
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

127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Walsh served with the Union County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Creston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Union County Sheriff's Office

Location Creston, IA

Platform Identity ucso.union.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 4, 1899

Age 23

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Paroled in 1934

Deputy Sheriff Tom Walsh 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Union 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.

Union County Sheriff's Office

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Tom Walsh's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Tom Walsh Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Paroled in 1934

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Tom Walsh is highlighted in Dec.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Tom Walsh was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

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