William Rufus Story

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch May 2, 1870

Age 31

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 3 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal William Story was shot and killed in a shootout near Grantsville, Utah. He was attempting to arrest a suspect wanted in Nevada for murder. A sheriff's deputy from Nevada accompanied Deputy Marshal Story to a barnyard where they located the fugitive and his wife. The man's wife distracted the officers, allowing the man to grab the deputy's gun and shoot Deputy Marshal Story. The the subject escaped but was shot and killed by a posse the following day after being tracked into a canyon. During the final shootout Posseman Festus Sprague was also shot and killed. Deputy Marshal Story had served with the United States Marshals Service for approximately four years. He was a Union veteran of the Civil War.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-A26F9C12
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Story gave the United States Department of Justice 4 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 2, 1870

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

William Rufus Story served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy U.S. Marshal William Rufus Story 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 - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

251

of 313 officers

80.2% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious