Merle Rankin Colver

Wichita Police Department — Wichita, KS

Felonious

End of Watch August 14, 1931

Age 40

The Vigil Panel 62 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 23

Incident

Detective Merle Colver was shot and killed while questioning two robbery suspects in their hotel room. As he began to search the hotel room he was shot by one of the men. The suspect was arrested within 24 hours and convicted of Detective Colver's murder. The murderer escaped from prison on May 30, 1933, but was shot and seriously wounded by a posse on December 30, 1933. He was returned to prison and died from his wounds on January 6, 1934. Detective Colver was survived by his wife. He was buried in Clearwater Cemetery, Clearwater, Sedgwick County, Kansas.

Survivors

Detective Colver was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KS-60B52907
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.
Detective Colver served with the Wichita Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Wichita community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Colver.

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

Agency

Department Wichita Police Department

Location Wichita, KS

Platform Identity wpd.sedgwick.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 14, 1931

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Detective Merle Rankin Colver 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 KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 16.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Wichita Police Department, 15 of 24 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.

Wichita Police Department

of 24 officers

62.5% Felonious

KS — Statewide

237

of 335 officers

70.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious