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Federal Prohibition Agent

William Edwin Collins

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch March 6, 1925

The Vigil Panel 48 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 58

Incident

Federal Prohibition Agent Williams Collins and Deputy Sheriff Samuel Duhon, of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, were shot and killed in an ambush while en route to a liquor raid. Other agents began searching for the two men when they failed to show up for the raid. Their bodies were found the following day riddled with bullets, in the back seat of their vehicle in a cemetery near Starks, Louisiana. Two brothers were arrested, convicted of both murders, and sentenced to death. One was hanged on January 28, 1928. The other suspect had his death sentence commuted to life.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-C07EC6A9
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.
Federal Prohibition Agent Collins served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Collins.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdtirspufed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 6, 1925

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1928

Federal Prohibition Agent William Edwin Collins 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 the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit, 47 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 79.7% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit

of 59 officers

79.7% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% 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. William Edwin Collins'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 William Edwin Collins Compares

Offender Outcome

Executed in 1928

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Edwin Collins is highlighted in Mar.

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. William Edwin Collins 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

58 officers from United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Prohibition Unit are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.