Roll of Honor

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Constable

Sam Doss

Randolph Township Constable's Office — Desloge, MO

Felonious

End of Watch August 16, 1926

Age 62

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 51 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Constable Doss was assassinated in his home while eating dinner. As he stood up two men outside opened fire with shotguns containing deer slugs. Constable Doss was struck seven times and was killed in front of his wife. One suspect was arrested a year later but released on a technicality. Three years later he and the other suspect were arrested and charged with Constable Doss' murder. One was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 35 years. The other was convicted of complicity in second degree murder and sentenced to 35 years. He was paroled on June 24, 1940.

Survivors

Constable Doss had been in law enforcement for 20 years and was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-C429F824
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.
Constable Doss gave the Randolph Township Constable's Office 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Desloge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Doss.

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

Agency

Department Randolph Township Constable's Office

Location Desloge, MO

Platform Identity rtco.stfrancois.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 16, 1926

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 62

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Sentenced to 35 years

Constable Sam Doss 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%.

Randolph Township Constable's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Sam Doss's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Sam Doss Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 35 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Sam Doss is highlighted in Aug.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Sam Doss was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518