Jessie Laster

Joplin Police Department — Joplin, MO

Felonious

End of Watch August 23, 1926

Age 44

The Vigil Panel 51 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 20

Incident

Chief of Detective Jessie Laster was shot and killed by a bootlegger seven miles northwest of Joplin at about 9:30 pm. He was taking a car ride with his wife, young son, aunt, and uncle. They had driven to the Spring River, just over the line in Kansas, and turned around after crossing the bridge. As they started back across the bridge a man stepped from the bushes and ordered them to stop. The man claimed to be an officer and that he was looking for a bootlegger. Chief Laster identified himself as chief of detectives and started to step from his car when the man shot him in the head, killing him. His wife drove him to a hospital in Joplin where he was pronounced dead. On May 13, 1927, a Missouri prison inmate confessed to murdering Detective Laster and named a fellow inmate as an accomplice. Both were serving terms for burglary and larceny they committed three months earlier in Miami. Both were immediately paroled, turned over to Kansas authorities, and charged with murder. Three days later both pleaded guilty to murder in Columbus, Kansas, and sentenced to life.

Survivors

Chief Laster was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-D0365718
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.
Chief of Detectives Laster served with the Joplin Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Joplin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Detectives Laster.

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

Agency

Department Joplin Police Department

Location Joplin, MO

Platform Identity jpd.jasper.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 23, 1926

Age 44

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life

Chief of Detectives Jessie Laster 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 Joplin Police Department, 17 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 81% of this agency's fallen.

Joplin Police Department

of 21 officers

81% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious