Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff William Maxwell was shot and killed by one of five prisoners making their escape from the county jail on 3rd Street S E in Le Mars.
Deputy Maxwell and his father, who was the sheriff, had entered the jail to feed the prisoners when one opened fire with a smuggled pistol. Deputy Maxwell was killed, and his father was seriously wounded. All five subjects were captured near Maurice two days later.
A week later, all five prisoners were convicted of Deputy Maxwell's murder and sentenced to life. On December 25th, 1920, three escaped from Fort Madison Penitentiary. Two were recaptured, and one was shot and killed. One died in prison on January 13th, 1943. One was paroled on February 9th, 1939, and another was paroled in 1957. The subject who provided the pistol was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Deputy Maxwell was a WWI veteran and went to work for his father as a deputy after being discharged from the Army in April of 1919.
Survivors
He was survived by his parents and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IA-59B6B05F- 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 Sheriff Maxwell served with the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Le Mars community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
William A. Maxwell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff William A. Maxwell 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 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 A. Maxwell's cause is highlighted.
How William A. Maxwell Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William A. Maxwell is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William A. Maxwell was killed by handgun; pistol.