Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy William Sweem and Sheriff William Mull were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had just murdered the family who lived next door. The suspect attacked the female neighbor with an axe and then shot and killed her two young children before walking into town. Sheriff Mull and Deputy Sweem located the man inside a local bank and confronted him. The suspect then shot and killed both before fleeing the scene. The man committed suicide later in the afternoon when he was surrounded by a posse.
Deputy Sweem had been appointed a jail guard by Sheriff Mull only two days before his murder.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-E7DAC136- 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
130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Sweem served with the Parke County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Rockville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff William Sweem 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 Parke 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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Sweem's cause is highlighted.
How William Sweem Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Sweem is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Sweem was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Parke County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
