Roll of Honor
Incident
Marshal Gaines was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man wanted for creating a disturbance. The suspect was arrested and placed in the County Jail. An angry mob took the suspect from the county jail and lynched him in the courthouse yard about 2 hours after the shooting. Marshal Gaines had been in law enforcement for 20 years and had also served as a deputy sheriff and constable for the Howard County Sheriff's Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-21454A86- 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
20 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Sheriff Gaines gave the Howard County Sheriff's Office 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Fayette community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Gaines.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff John W. Gaines 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%.
At Howard County Sheriff's Office, 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. John W. Gaines's cause is highlighted.
How John W. Gaines Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched by an angry mob
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John W. Gaines is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John W. Gaines was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Howard County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
