Jerry Lee Inman
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Jerry Lee Inman

Greene County Sheriff's Office — Springfield, MO
Felonious Veteran
End of Watch May 25, 1968
Age 27
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 104 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Jerry Inman was shot and killed when he and his partner interrupted a robbery in progress at a local convenience store at the intersection of I-44 and Route N. They had stopped at the store while on patrol but was unaware that it was being robbed by two men. When one saw the patrol car he ran out of the store and opened fire with a .22 caliber handgun. One of the rounds bounced off of the windshield of the car and struck Deputy Inman in the collar bone and heart. His partner was seriously wounded. Both men, 22 and 25, were arrested and charged with murder. On January 3, 1969, both were convicted of murder and sentenced to life. The youngest suspect and Deputy Inman's killer was paroled in 1987. On August 10, 1988, he and another inmate, he met in prison, were charged with setting several fires, since his release from prison, in Overland Park, Kansas City, and Lawson that caused millions of dollars in damage to several homes and apartment buildings under construction. He was convicted of several arsons and sentenced to 70 years. He said he set the fires because of his hatred for police. Deputy Inman was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Greene County Sheriff's Office for two years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-CC74FD50
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Inman gave the Greene County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Springfield community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Springfield, MO
Platform Identity gcso.greene.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 25, 1968
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber
Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Jerry Lee Inman served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Jerry Lee Inman 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 Greene County Sheriff's Office, 7 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70% of this agency's fallen.

Greene County Sheriff's Office
7
of 10 officers
70% 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. Jerry Lee Inman'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 Jerry Lee Inman Compares

Age at End of Watch
27
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to life

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jerry Lee Inman is highlighted in May.

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. Jerry Lee Inman was killed by handgun; .22 caliber.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location