Roll of Honor
Samuel Parkinson Cowley
Incident
Special Agent Samuel Cowley and Special Agent Herman Hollis were shot and killed by the infamous gangster Baby Face Nelson near Barrington, Illinois. When two other agents had encountered Baby Face Nelson, his wife, Helen Gillis, and a male companion, John Paul Chase, driving down a road, a gunbattle ensued as both parties recognized each other. The agent's, with their windshields shattered, were forced off the road into a field but not before they had disabled the suspect's car. As Agents Hollis and Cowley approached the scene and exited their car, they were met with gunfire by both male suspects. Agent Hollis, with massive head wounds, was pronounced dead upon arrival at a hospital and Agent Cowley died the following morning after surgery for his stomach wounds. The suspects fled the scene in the agent's car and drove to a house in Wilmette. Baby Face Nelson, who had been shot nine times, died there later that evening. His body was discovered wrapped in a blanket in a ditch in front of a cemetery in Skokie. He had also been responsible for the murder of Special Agent W. Carter Baum seven months earlier. His wife was later convicted of harboring a fugitive and served a year in prison. The male companion was the first person to be tried under a federal law allowing the death penalty for the murder of a federal agent. He was found guilty, but the jury recommended a life sentence which he served at USP Alcatraz Island until his parole in 1966. Agent Cowley had served with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for five years. He was survived by his wife and two sons. He is buried in Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. Led by John Dillinger, the Dillinger Gang was a notorious group of Midwest bank robbers. Associates of the gang were responsible for the fatal shootings of 13 law enforcement officers in 1933 and 1934. Two infamous members of the gang, John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson, were shot and killed by law enforcement officers in separate incidents
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-00A85779- 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.
Special Agent Cowley gave the United States Department of Justice 5 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Cowley.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Agent Samuel Parkinson Cowley 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation, 37 of 89 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel Parkinson Cowley's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel Parkinson Cowley Compares
Offender Outcome
The Dillinger Gang
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel Parkinson Cowley is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel Parkinson Cowley was killed by rifle; machine gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
88 officers from United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
