Thomas J. O'Neill

Butte Police Department — Butte, MT

Felonious

End of Watch December 25, 1935

Age 37

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 71 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 13

Incident

Policeman Thomas O'Neill was shot and killed while investigating a disturbance at a boarding house. The suspect shot and killed another person at the boarding house before fleeing. The suspect shot another person the following day during a large search for the man. The suspect who murdered Policeman O'Neill was also suspected of being involved in the murder of Deputy Sheriff Thomas Meehan, of the King County, Washington, Sheriff's Department on November 13, 1935. After murdering Policeman O'Neill the suspect fled to an acquaintance's house where he held several people hostage. One of the hostages was able to escape and alert authorities. During the standoff the suspect admitted to the hostages that he had murdered both officers and two other citizens. The suspect was shot and killed in a shootout with officers a short time later. Policeman O'Neill had served with the agency for 18 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother, sister, and three brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MT-BA195CDC
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

You barely got started.
Policeman O'Neill gave the Butte Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Butte community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman O'Neill.

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

Agency

Department Butte Police Department

Location Butte, MT

Platform Identity bpd.silverbow.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 25, 1935

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Policeman Thomas J. O'Neill 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 11.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Butte Police Department, 10 of 14 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.

Butte Police Department

of 14 officers

71.4% Felonious

MT — Statewide

of 142 officers

65.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious