Roll of Honor

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Chief of Police

Dave Markham

Willows Police Department — Willows, CA

Felonious

End of Watch February 19, 1940

Age 69

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

The Vigil Panel 76 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Chief Markham was shot and killed as he and another officer attempted to take shotgun from a man who was walking the streets threatening people. As the two officers talked with the man he opened fire fatally wounding Chief Markham and blowing away half of the other officer's face. Both managed to return fire leaving the suspect seriously wounded. A citizen, who ran out of a nearby hardware store, was hit with a bullet from Chief Marhham's revolver and killed. On May 27, 1940, the suspect, 37, was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed at Ukiah State Mental Hospital. Chief Markham had served as a constable and chief of police for Willow for 18 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-6964B189
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.
Chief of Police Markham gave the Willows Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Willows community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Markham.

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

Agency

Department Willows Police Department

Location Willows, CA

Platform Identity wpd.glenn.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 19, 1940

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Age 69

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Committed

Chief of Police Dave Markham 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

Willows Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% 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. Dave Markham'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 Dave Markham Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Committed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Dave Markham is highlighted in Feb.

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. Dave Markham was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518