Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Marshal

Franklin Dean

Mancos Police Department — Mancos, CO

Felonious

End of Watch October 9, 1939

Age 25

The Vigil Panel 76 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Marshal Franklin Dean was shot and killed with his own weapon after arresting a man for being drunk and disorderly. He had told the man to go home earlier in the night. The man then returned to town and told several townspeople he had a gun. Marshal Dean was called back and arrested the man. As he unlocked the jail cell to place the suspect in, the man struck him in the side of the head, took his revolver, and then shot him. The 74-year-old suspect was later arrested, convicted of murder, and executed in the gas chamber on June 20th, 1941. He holds the record for the oldest person executed in Colorado.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CO-AECB1FE4
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Franklin. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Marshal Dean served with the Mancos Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Mancos community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Marshal Dean.

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

Agency

Department Mancos Police Department

Location Mancos, CO

Platform Identity mpd.montezuma.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 9, 1939

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Executed in 1941

Marshal Franklin Dean 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 CO, 235 of 360 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.3% of this state's fallen. That is 11.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Mancos Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

CO — Statewide

235

of 360 officers

65.3% 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. Franklin Dean'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 Franklin Dean Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Executed in 1941

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Franklin Dean is highlighted in Oct.

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. Franklin Dean was killed by officer's handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518