Roll of Honor
Edward "Red" Phillips
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Red Phillips was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a murder suspect in the Green River rail yards. As Deputy Phillips and nine other law officers searched the Green River railroad yards, Deputy Phillips spotted a man on the platform and instructed him to halt. Instead, the man ran behind a railroad car as Deputy Phillips and another deputy chased after him. The suspect then fired at the two deputies. Deputy Phillips was struck under the arm by a bullet, which lodged near the spine. He was taken to Sweetwater County Memorial hospital in Rock Springs and underwent two operations. Deputy Phillips died early Saturday morning. The suspect, who ran from the railroad yards into the south Green River residential district, was killed by a Union Pacific Railroad special agent in a home where he had taken refuge by holding a woman and her two children hostage. It was later learned that the shooter was an ex-convict who had been hiding at a ranch under an alias for a year. The suspect also killed an auto dealer and wounded a Frontier town marshal during his 14-hour crime rampage. Deputy Phillips was a United States Navy World War II veteran and previously served with the Wyoming Highway Patrol. He served with the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Department for over one year.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children, the youngest born after he was killed.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WY-639DCA40- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Phillips gave the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Green River 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
Edward "Red" Phillips served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff Edward "Red" Phillips 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 WY, 41 of 63 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.1% of this state's fallen. That is 10.9 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. Edward "Red" Phillips's cause is highlighted.
How Edward "Red" Phillips Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Edward "Red" Phillips is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Edward "Red" Phillips was killed by gun; unknown type.