Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Walter Markel was shot and killed while attempting to stop a jailbreak at the Lawrence County Jail at the courthouse square. A prisoner had obtained control of a deputy's gun and took three deputies hostage. The man forced the deputies to free three other prisoners and hand over several other weapons. The sheriff's wife was alerted to the incident as it was occurring and called Chief Markel, who rushed to the jail with Police Officer Charles Giles. Chief Markel went into the jail, immediately grabbed one of the suspects, and exchanged shots with the others. Chief Markel was struck in the chest and killed instantly. One of the suspects, who was wounded in the shootout, then shot Officer Giles as the officer put his hands up to surrender, paralyzing him from the waist down. Two Ohio Highway Patrol officers had also been alerted to the jailbreak. When they arrived at the scene, they took up defensive positions in the front of the jail. As the prisoners led the four deputies out of the front, the highway patrol officers told them to surrender. Two of the suspects immediately surrendered, but the fourth opened fire. The suspect was killed in the return gunfire from the patrol officers. Patrolman Giles remained paralyzed from the chest down and died as a result of complications of the wound on November 26th, 1988. Chief Markel was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWII and had served with the Ironton Police Department for 15 years, three of them as the Chief of Police.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-680645B4- 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.
Chief of Police Markel gave the Ironton Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Ironton 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
Walter Eugene Markel served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Chief of Police Walter Eugene Markel 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Ironton Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter Eugene Markel's cause is highlighted.
How Walter Eugene Markel Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Eugene Markel is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Walter Eugene Markel was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Ironton Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
