Roll of Honor
Jack R. Coler
Incident
Special Agent Jack Coler and Special Agent Ronald Williams were shot and killed at the Oglala Sioux Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. The agents were attempting to serve a warrant for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. When they stopped a vehicle at 11:50 a.m., they requested backup once the men in the vehicle started firing at them. When responding agents arrived on the scene, they were also fired upon. They were unable to reach Agent Williams and Agent Coler until 4:25 p.m. Once discovered, the agents' vehicles had 125 bullet holes. Agent Williams had been shot in the left arm, left side, right hand, and head. Agent Coler had multiple wounds to the arm and head. Both agents had been killed at close range. Only one of the four suspects was charged with their murders and was captured in Vancouver, Canada, on February 6, 1976. The 31-year-old suspect, unbeknownst to Agent Williams and Agent Coler, had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for the attempted murder of a police officer in Wisconsin. He was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life. In 1979, he and other inmates fired at prison guards when they escaped from prison. He was denied clemency in 2017 and wasn't supposed to be released until 2035. In 2025, on his final day of office, President Joseph Biden commuted his sentence to home confinement. Special Agent Coler had served with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for four years and previously served with the Los Angeles Police Department for three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, parents, brother, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-780E4FF9- 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 Coler gave the United States Department of Justice 7 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Coler.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Agent Jack R. Coler 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. Jack R. Coler's cause is highlighted.
How Jack R. Coler Compares
Offender Outcome
One sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jack R. Coler is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jack R. Coler was killed by gun; unknown type.
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.
