Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff John Kearby succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained three days earlier while looking for a murder suspect in the railroad yards in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He and a constable had received information from railroad detectives that the man was hiding in a boxcar in the railroad yards. They were unable to find the man and were leaving the area when Sheriff Kearby noticed an unrelated subject sleeping by the railroad tracks. As he began to question the man about his identity the subject suddenly pulled out a revolver and opened fire on the officers, striking Sheriff Kearby in the abdomen. Despite his wounds, Sheriff Kearby and the constable returned fire and killed the subject. Sheriff Kearby was taken to a local doctor. He died from his wounds three days later. A juvenile who had been with Sheriff Kearby's killer identified him as the man who had murdered Chief Special Agent Thomas Logan, of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad Police Department, near Cairo, Illinois, on January 13th, 1914. The two had escaped from jail three weeks before the murderer's execution date.
Survivors
Sheriff Kearby had served with the Butler County Sheriff's Department for two years and was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-0183A747- Stewardship
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- 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.
Sheriff Kearbey gave the Butler County Sheriff's Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Poplar Bluff community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Kearbey.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff John Phillip Kearbey 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 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. John Phillip Kearbey's cause is highlighted.
How John Phillip Kearbey Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Phillip Kearbey is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Phillip Kearbey was killed by handgun; revolver.