Alvin L. Vonsar

McLean County Sheriff's Office — Bloomington, IL

Felonious

End of Watch January 28, 1935

Age 50

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 69 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Alvin Vonsar was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect during a raid. Deputy Vonsar, along with the sheriff and other deputies, had tracked four suspects involved in multiple robberies and a murder to a rooming house at 605 West Washington Street in Bloomington. At 3:00 pm, a raid was executed and while Deputy Vonsar was covering one suspect at gunpoint in the dining room, another suspect fired one shot through a partially-opened sliding door to an adjoining room, striking Deputy Vonsar through his chest. The suspect whom Deputy Vonsar had been covering pulled a gun and was shot by the sheriff in the hand before being arrested. Deputy Vonsar was able to pursue the suspect who had shot him as he fled from the rear of the residence still firing his weapon, but was unable to chase him beyond the back porch before collapsing. Deputy Vonsar was transported to a hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. On April 22nd, 1935, the suspect who shot him was convicted of his murder and sentenced to life. His sentence was reduced to 60 years in 1949 for participating in a malaria treatment experiment during World War II. His parole was denied in 1953. His sentence was to end in 1969. Deputy Vonsar had served with the McLean County Sheriff's Office for two years. He was previously an undersheriff in Berrien County, Michigan, and served with the United States Secret Service for many years assigned to the executive protection of four presidents. He was one of the first to reach the side of President Warren G. Harding when he suddenly died in San Francisco on August 2nd, 1923.

Survivors

Deputy Vonsar was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-C32EBC76
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 Sheriff Vonsar gave the McLean County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bloomington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Vonsar.

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

Agency

Department McLean County Sheriff's Office

Location Bloomington, IL

Platform Identity mcso.mclean.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 28, 1935

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Sentenced to life

Deputy Sheriff Alvin L. Vonsar 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 McLean County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

McLean County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

60% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious