Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Levi Bowers was shot and killed in Rockford, Iowa, by a man he was attempting to arrest for the attempted murder of a local doctor.
As Deputy Bowers and the local constable entered the suspects home he opened fire with a shotgun, killing him instantly, and blowing off part of his mother's hand as she tried to stop him. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with Deputy Bowers' murder.
The 28-year-old suspect shot and slightly wounded the doctor as he walked out of a grocery store in Rockford. He said he shot the doctor because he gave him medicine for indigestion that burned up his insides. On March 18th, 1916, he was convicted of Deputy Bower's murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1918 he was transfered to the insane ward at Anamosa Penitentiary and died there on February 1, 1954.
Deputy Bowers is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.
Rest in Peace, Deputy Sheriff Bowers. Your sacrifice is not forgotten.
Officer 11169 May 26th, 2013
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BO-US-IA-FD76C058- Stewardship
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- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Bowers served with the Floyd County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Charles City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Bowers.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Levi A. Bowers 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. Levi A. Bowers's cause is highlighted.
How Levi A. Bowers Compares
Offender Outcome
Died in prison
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Levi A. Bowers is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Levi A. Bowers was killed by shotgun.