John W. Mathews
Agency patch
Police Officer

John W. Mathews

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch May 21, 1988
Age 26
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo
Badge 9827
Gender Male

Incident

Officer John W. Mathews was attacked and killed by five assailants. Officer Mathews was returning home and was attacked and killed by five assailants while investigating a drinking and drag racing party near Wolf Lake, just north of 13041 S. Avenue M. He was off duty when he noticed several squad cars down the street. He went to assist the officers and cleared the scene. Later in the night, he returned to the scene to check on it when five men came out of the woods and attacked him with several blunt objects. The killers were arrested and convicted; all have since been released from prison. Officer Mathews served the Chicago Police Department for 18 months.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, three children, parents, three sisters and a brother.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Police Officer Mathews gave the Chicago Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Mathews.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 21, 1988
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo
Age 26
Badge Number 9827
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1988, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 26. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 1.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8% 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 blunt object, in 1.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer John W. Mathews

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch May 21, 1988

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 28-E

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