Raymond J. Caffrey
Agency patch
Special Agent

Raymond J. Caffrey

Felonious
End of Watch June 17, 1933
Age 31
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 66 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Agent Raymond Caffrey was one of four law enforcement officers killed in an incident referred to as the Kansas City Massacre at the Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. At 7:17 a.m., as officers placed an escaped convict into a federal car to transport him to Leavenworth, two men stepped out from behind a parked car and fired at officers. During the barrage of gunfire, a car containing a few men also shot at officers with machine guns as they passed the parked cars. Agent Caffrey was slain as he was standing on the driver's side of the federal patrol vehicle being used to transport the inmate. He succumbed to his wounds at the hospital. Special Agent Caffrey had served with the United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation for five years. Survivors include his wife, son, father, two sisters, and three brothers. One of his brothers also served with the United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation. On June 17, 1933, a group of men attempted to free inmate Frank Nash as he was being transported to Leavenworth. In the ensuing gun battle, Detective Frank Hermanson and Detective William Grooms, of the Kansas City Police Department, Chief of Police Otto Read, of the McAlester Police Department, Oklahoma, and Special Agent Raymond Caffrey, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, were shot and killed. This ambush became known as the Kansas City Massacre. Please click here to read more about the Kansas City Massacre and the law enforcement officers killed.

Survivors

Survivors include his wife, son, father, two sisters, and three brothers. One of his brothers also served with the United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Agent Caffrey gave the United States Department of Justice 5 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Caffrey.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdjfbifed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 1933
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Raymond is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1933, 184 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 15th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Raymond was 31. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Raymond had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation has 89 officers remembered here, Raymond among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Special Agent Raymond J. Caffrey

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation · End of Watch June 17, 1933

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 49-W

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