Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Jonas Thatcher was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had failed to appear before a justice to face accusations of an assault.
Chief Thatcher went to the man's home to serve the arrest warrant but was confronted by the man's wife. The woman became belligerent and threw a hatchet at Chief Thatcher, who then attempted to place her under arrest. As the woman struggled with him the husband appeared with a double-barreled shotgun and told the chief to let her go.
When Chief Thatcher refused to let her go the man shot him in the chest, killing him almost instantly. The man fled but was apprehended quickly. He was convicted of Chief Thatcher's murder and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Chief Thatcher was survived by his wife and eleven children. He was a Civil War Veteran who served as a sergeant in the 10th Ohio Calvary, Company C.
Survivors
Chief Thatcher was survived by his wife and eleven children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WV-4EB2BB81- 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 Thatcher served with the Moundsville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Moundsville community. Thank you 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
Jonas P. Thatcher served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Chief of Police Jonas P. Thatcher 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 WV, 169 of 232 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.8% of this state's fallen. That is 18.6 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. Jonas P. Thatcher's cause is highlighted.
How Jonas P. Thatcher Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 7 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jonas P. Thatcher is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jonas P. Thatcher was killed by shotgun.