G. Earle Eldredge
Agency patch
Deputy Game Warden

G. Earle Eldredge

Felonious
End of Watch February 24, 1907
Age 37
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 21 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Illinois Department of Conservation - Division of Law Enforcement, IL

Deputy Game Warden Earle Eldredge was shot and killed while investigating reports of poachers on his family's nature preserve northeast of Richmond in McHenry County.

His body was found two days later and the suspects were never apprehended.

Deputy Game Warden Eldredge's brother, Inspector Charles Eldredge, was shot and killed 24 years later while serving with the same agency. Inspector Charles Eldredge was shot with the same gun used to murder his brother, which the inspector had been carrying ever since in the hopes of finding those responsible for his brother's murder.

Deputy Game Warden Eldredge had served with the Illinois Department of Conservation for seven years.

The family's nature preserve later became the North Branch Conservation Area.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-7174AD3D
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.
Deputy Game Warden Eldredge gave the Illinois Department of Conservation 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Springfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Game Warden Eldredge.

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

Agency

Location Springfield, IL
Platform Identity idcdlecons.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 24, 1907
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Deputy Game Warden G. Earle Eldredge 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Illinois Department of Conservation - Division of Law Enforcement, 2 of 13 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 15.4% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois Department of Conservation - Division of Law Enforcement
2
of 13 officers
15.4% Felonious
IL — Statewide
842
of 1,318 officers
63.9% 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. G. Earle Eldredge'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 G. Earle Eldredge Compares

Age at End of Watch
37
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. G. Earle Eldredge is highlighted in Feb.

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.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location