Silas Marts

Pueblo Police Department — Pueblo, CO

Felonious

End of Watch October 7, 1903

Age 41

The Vigil Panel 18 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Police Officer Silas Marts was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance and Police Officer Elwin Slater accidentally shot and killed himself while attempting to assist Officer Marts. The two officers had responded to a disturbance involving a drunk man at a local store. As Officer Marts entered the store he was shot in the neck by the suspect with a .45 caliber pistol and killed instantly. As Officer Slater entered the store to help Officer Marts he began to draw his weapon which discharged and struck him in the leg. Officer Slater succumbed to his wound the next day. The 59-year-old suspect, who was a prominent doctor, was committed to an insane asylum. After a few weeks, he was released and resumed his practice in Denver.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CO-C38DCC06
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.
Police Officer Marts served with the Pueblo Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Pueblo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Marts.

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

Agency

Department Pueblo Police Department

Location Pueblo, CO

Platform Identity ppd.pueblo.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 7, 1903

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

Offender Committed

Police Officer Silas Marts 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%.

At Pueblo Police Department, 7 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.3% of this agency's fallen.

Pueblo Police Department

of 12 officers

58.3% Felonious

CO — Statewide

235

of 360 officers

65.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious