Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Lawrence Smoyer and Constable William Wathen were shot and killed near Akron while investigating a farmer's report of two suspicious men hiding behind haystacks in his meadow 23 miles northwest of Albion. The two men opened fire when the officers approached them. Sheriff Smoyer died at the scene, and Constable Wathen succumbed to his wounds five months later. The case remained unsolved until October 2017 when the child of one of the suspects contacted authorities and provided additional details of the crime. Authorities determined there was enough evidence to try both suspects had they still lived. Neither suspect was ever charged in the slayings, although Nebraska authorities obtained an arrest warrant for one of them in 1938. At the time the suspect had pleaded guilty to an unrelated bank robbery in Colorado and was sent to prison. Under the law of the time he could not be extradited to face more serious charges in Nebraska. Sheriff Smoyer was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served as sheriff for 11 years. He was survived by his wife and six children. In 1965 a monument was erected as a tribute to both officers on the spot where they were killed.
Survivors
Survivors
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NE-7F39AC9A- 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.
Sheriff Smoyer gave the Boone County Sheriff's Office 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Albion 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Lawrence I. Smoyer served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sheriff Lawrence I. Smoyer 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. Lawrence I. Smoyer's cause is highlighted.
How Lawrence I. Smoyer Compares
Offender Outcome
Deceased, never charged
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lawrence I. Smoyer is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Lawrence I. Smoyer was killed by gun; unknown type.