Amos L. "Spud" Helms

Oregon State Police — Salem, OR

Felonious

End of Watch December 30, 1931

Tour of Duty 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 63 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 30

Incident

Trooper Amos Helms succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained on October 18th, 1931, in La Grande, Oregon, as he and another trooper approached a vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle used in a bank hold-up. He and the other trooper had been notified of the car, which was parked at a filling station at the corner of Greenwood Street and Adams Street. The occupants of the vehicle opened fire on the officers as they approached it. Both subjects fled the scene but were captured after a massive search. They were convicted and sentenced to life in imprisonment without possibility of parole for the murder of Trooper Helms. One of the men was granted a conditional pardon in 1942, and the other was paroled in 1950. Trooper Helms had served with the Oregon State Police for six months.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-OR-BFF32FF1
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.
Trooper Helms served with the Oregon State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oregon. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Helms.

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

Agency

Department Oregon State Police

Location Salem, OR

Platform Identity osp.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 30, 1931

Tour of Duty 6 mo

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Convicted of Murder

Trooper Amos L. "Spud" Helms 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Oregon State Police, 16 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.6% of this agency's fallen.

Oregon State Police

of 31 officers

51.6% Felonious

OR — Statewide

115

of 197 officers

58.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious