Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff William Dunlap was shot and killed with his own weapon when he was overpowered by two prisoners and disarmed while transporting them to Cortez. The two prisoners had been housed in the jail at Glenwood Springs for safety reasons. Sheriff Dunlap and a deputy were returning them to Cortez to attend an arraignment when one of the men reached over the seat, grabbed Sheriff Dunlap's service weapon, and shot him in the back. The two prisoners then disarmed the deputy before escaping in the sheriff's car. Both prisoners were brothers responsible for the starvation death of an aged sheepman whom they had robbed, gagged, tied up, and then left to die in his cabin. Both brothers were arrested and convicted of Sheriff Dunlap's murder. On February 14th, 1936, one of the brothers was executed in the gas chamber. The other was sentenced to two life terms.
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- 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.
Sheriff Dunlap served with the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Cortez community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Dunlap.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff William Wesley Dunlap 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Wesley Dunlap's cause is highlighted.
How William Wesley Dunlap Compares
Offender Outcome
One executed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Wesley Dunlap is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Wesley Dunlap was killed by officer's handgun.