Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Herman Lange died the day after being shot by a subject who had shot and killed another man the previous evening.
The intoxicated subject shot the man during an argument and then fled the scene. Sheriff Lange had arrested two other men from the house where the shooting took place and was in search of the suspect.
At 5:30 am, as Sheriff Lange stopped upon seeing a man walking on Highway 52 near Braysville, he was shot in the abdomen when his badge was seen by the suspect. Sheriff Lange was able to return fire and wound the suspect before he fled into the darkness. Sheriff Lange was taken to Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, for surgery where he died the following day.
On March 11, 1930, the suspect was captured in Perry County, Kentucky, and extradited to Indiana. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. In 1933, the governor granted clemency and commuted the offender's sentence to life in prison. He was later released from prison after serving 14½ years of his sentence.
Sheriff Lange had served with the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department for one year. He was survived by his wife, who was appointed as sheriff to serve the remainder of her husband's term, 14-year-old daughter, mother, and three brothers. Sheriff Lange's wife was the first female to serve as a sheriff in the state of Indiana.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, who was appointed as sheriff to serve the remainder of her husband's term, 14-year-old daughter, mother, and three brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-C78F6F30- 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
You barely got started.
Sheriff Lange gave the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Lawrenceburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Lange.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Herman Thomas Lange 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herman Thomas Lange's cause is highlighted.
How Herman Thomas Lange Compares
Offender Outcome
Released from prison
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Herman Thomas Lange is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Herman Thomas Lange was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Dearborn County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
