Roll of Honor
Incident
Probation Officer Ernest Wehr was shot and killed while driving a probationer to a work site at a farm off Route 30 in Cherry Hill.
The subject had complained about his current employer so he was assigned to a new work location. As Officer Wehr turned off Route 30 onto the farm's driveway the man pulled out a .38 caliber revolver and shot him in the head without warning. The subject then drove the vehicle across the street where he hid Officer Wehr's body in shrubbery on the estate of Illinois State Senator Richard Barr, three miles east of Joliet.
The 18-year-old man fled in Officer Wehr's car but was arrested the following day. He confessed to having planned to murder Officer Wehr to steal the car. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. In 1949 his sentence was commuted to 60 years for participating in malaria treatments during World War II.
Officer Wehr was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery in combat in Cantigny, France. He had served with the Will County Probation Department for approximately one year.
Survivors
Officer Wehr was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-A9F9F258- 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.
Probation Officer Wehr gave the Will County Probation Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Joliet 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
Ernest C. Wehr served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Probation Officer Ernest C. Wehr 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ernest C. Wehr's cause is highlighted.
How Ernest C. Wehr Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ernest C. Wehr is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ernest C. Wehr was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.