Charles Lee Houser

Springfield Police Department — Springfield, MO

Felonious

End of Watch January 2, 1932

Age 28

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 63 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Police Officer Charlie Houser was shot and killed as he took position outside the farmhouse of two suspects. Officer Houser served with the Springfield Police Department for two years. He was survived by his common-law wife and brother. He is buried in Forest Park Cemetery in Joplin, Missouri (the grave is unmarked). Two brothers considered local petty burglars killed a total of seven Law Enforcement Officers. After they killed Town Marshal Mark Noe on June 2, 1929, a massive manhunt began for the suspects. The two suspects were located at the family farmhouse on January 2, 1932. They had come to town to visit their mother for the Christmas holiday. A raiding party of eleven officers was formed to arrest the two brothers. As the officers surrounded the farmhouse gunfire erupted and in the end six officers lay dead. The suspects escaped, and fled to Texas. They were located there by Houston Police and as police moved in the two suspects committed suicide.

Survivors

He was survived by his common-law wife and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-6D8A09CC
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.
Police Officer Houser gave the Springfield Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Springfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Houser.

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

Agency

Department Springfield Police Department

Location Springfield, MO

Platform Identity spd.greene.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 2, 1932

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Offender Committed suicide

Police Officer Charles Lee Houser 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 Springfield Police Department, 7 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 87.5% of this agency's fallen.

Springfield Police Department

of 8 officers

87.5% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious