Wilson Conley Elms
Agency patch
Game Warden

Wilson Conley Elms

Felonious
End of Watch January 5, 1981
Age 34
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 123 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Game Warden Conley Elms and Game Warden William Pogue were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a poacher at a campsite along the South Fork in Owyhee County. The suspect was captured 15 months later. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years. Despite escaping prison and being on the run for a year, he was released from prison in February 2005. Warden Elms had served with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and brother, who also served as an Idaho Department of Fish and Game conservation officer.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-ID-DB78C059
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.
Game Warden Elms gave the Idaho Department of Fish and Game 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Boise community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Game Warden Elms.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Boise, ID
Platform Identity idahcons.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 5, 1981
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Game Warden Wilson Conley Elms 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 ID, 44 of 71 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62% of this state's fallen. That is 62 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 2 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game
2
of 5 officers
40% Felonious
ID — Statewide
44
of 71 officers
62% 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. Wilson Conley Elms's cause is highlighted.

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

How Wilson Conley Elms Compares

Age at Death
34
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Wilson Conley Elms is highlighted in Jan.

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. Wilson Conley Elms 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