William Sterling Ashby
Agency patch
Merchant Patrolman

William Sterling Ashby

Globe Police Department — Globe, AZ
Felonious
End of Watch September 24, 1928
Age 67
The Vigil Panel 56 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Merchant Patrolman William Ashby was shot and killed when he interrupted a robbery of a garage on Broad Street at about 3:00 am.

A subject was in the process of robbing an employee of the garage when Patrolman Ashby entered the business and was shot. The victim of the robbery initially wouldn't cooperate with the investigation because he was fearful of retaliation. About six months later he identified the suspect, who had been arrested in Phoenix for other robberies. The man was sentenced to 15 to 25 years in prison for the Phoenix robberies but it is not known if he was tried for Patrolman Ashby's murder.

Patrolman Ashby was a widower.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9

Chris Di Gerolamo Federal Air Marshal Service December 17th, 2021

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-AC43A2CA
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Merchant Patrolman Ashby served with the Globe Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Globe community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Merchant Patrolman Ashby.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Globe, Gila County, AZ
Platform Identity gpd.gila.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 24, 1928
Age 67
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Merchant Patrolman William Sterling Ashby 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 AZ, 204 of 330 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%.

Globe Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
AZ — Statewide
204
of 330 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. William Sterling Ashby's cause is highlighted.

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

How William Sterling Ashby Compares

Age at Death
67
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Sterling Ashby is highlighted in Sep.

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. William Sterling Ashby was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Globe Police Department are honored on badge.nw.