Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff John S. Degman was killed as he delivered breakfast to an inmate in the county jail.
Sheriff Degman put the inmate's meal on the window and turned to leave. As he did so, the inmate, who had a long history of criminal behavior and who had recently been arrested on charges that he had abused his family and raped his own daughter, hit him on the back of the head with a piece of firewood that Sheriff Degman had allowed him to keep in his cell. The inmate then struck Sheriff Degman at least twice more, fracturing his skull.
The inmate escaped from the jail but was caught in the yard by the former Colfax County sheriff. The former sheriff called for Sheriff Degman to come and get his prisoner and became alarmed when he got no response. He ran to the jail and discovered Sheriff Degman unconscious on the floor. Sheriff Degman succumbed to his injuries soon after.
Sheriff Degman's killer was returned to the jail, but a mob of two hundred men arrived that night and overpowered the officers guarding him. The mob seized the prisoner and hung him at the north side of the courthouse.
Sheriff Degman had served with the Colfax County Sheriff's Department for two years but had only acted as Sheriff for 10 days at the time of his death.
Survivors
He was survived by his mother, a sister, and three brothers, one of whom served as a city marshal before being appointed to the position of Colfax County Sheriff following his brother's death.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-NE-3F704B88- 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
140 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Degman gave the Colfax County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Schuyler community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff John S. Degman 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 10 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John S. Degman's cause is highlighted.
How John S. Degman Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John S. Degman is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John S. Degman was killed by blunt object; firewood.