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Town Marshal

John Finley

Morning Sun Police Department — Morning Sun, IA

Felonious

End of Watch October 5, 1896

The Vigil Panel 14 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Town Marshal John Finley succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained 15 days earlier by a man he arrested for disturbing the peace outside of the home of man's ex-wife. The suspect suddenly produced a gun and shot Marshal Finley as he was escorting him to jail.

The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison March 24, 1897. He was pardoned by Governor George W. Clarke October 20th, 1914.

No passage of time will ever erase your memory, service and sacrifice. Rest in peace always.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) October 5th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-E48AAA1E
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

130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Town Marshal Finley served with the Morning Sun Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Morning Sun community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Morning Sun Police Department

Location Morning Sun, IA

Platform Identity mspd.louisa.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 5, 1896

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Pardoned in 1914

Town Marshal John Finley 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%.

Morning Sun Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Finley's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How John Finley Compares

Offender Outcome

Pardoned in 1914

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Finley is highlighted in Oct.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Finley was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518