William T. Bentz

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

Felonious

End of Watch February 22, 1872

The Vigil Panel 4 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal Bentz was shot and killed while standing outside of the Flint Courthouse in the Going Snake District of Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma). He had just arrested several men for assaulting other federal officers. A Cherokee deputy sheriff approached Marshal Bentz and shot him. After doing so a man emerged from the courthouse and shot Marshal Bentz in the chest with his own gun as he lay on the ground.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-7DA3C516
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

154 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Bentz served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— 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 February 22, 1872

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Not available

Deputy U.S. Marshal William T. Bentz 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