Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: Oklahoma Incident Date: Monday, September 20, 1897 Weapon: Gun; Unknown type Offender: Sentence commuted
Sheriff Jesse Sunday succumbed to gunshot wounds received the previous day in the town of Rose, Oklahoma, while attempting to question a man wanted for the murder of a store owner and the Sheriff-elect.
The suspect was taken into custody and convicted of Sheriff Sunday's murder. The man was originally sentenced to death, but the sentence was later commuted to 10 years in prison. He escaped from prison three months later and joined the Army. All charges against him were dropped after he joined the Army.
Sheriff Sunday was sheriff of the Saline District of Cherokee Nation Indian Territory.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and six children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CN-TR-4E1BFA05- 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
129 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Sunday served with the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
Thank you for your service to the Tahlequah community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Jesse Sunday 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Cherokee Nation Marshal's Service, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jesse Sunday's cause is highlighted.
How Jesse Sunday Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentence commuted
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jesse Sunday is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jesse Sunday was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Cherokee Nation Marshal's Service are honored on badge.nw.
