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Incident
Sergeant Wallace Mowbray was shot and killed while checking on a suspicious vehicle parked in a liquor store parking lot in Chester, Maryland, shortly before midnight. He was checking a license plate over the radio when he was struck by a shotgun blast before dispatchers advised him that the vehicle had been stolen from Virginia. He was flown to a hospital in Baltimore where he died shortly after midnight. All four suspects fled from the scene. Two suspects, who were later convicted of doing the shooting, kidnapped a couple in Chester, took their car, and raped the woman. They were captured several hours later. The other two suspects stole a boat and headed toward the Western Shore. They were captured two days later. All four suspects were convicted of Sergeant Mowbray's murder. One of the subjects was sentenced to life plus 95 years for rape, kidnapping, and other crimes committed before and after Sergeant Mowbray's murder. In 1982 he escaped from prison and was placed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list. He was captured 14 months later. In 1991 he won a new trial that resulted in less serious convictions and a 27-year sentence. He was paroled in 1993. Four months later he was sent back to prison for four years when he violated his parole with a disorderly conduct charge. In 1999 he was sent back to prison again when he took money from a charity jar in a Glen Burnie, Maryland, cafe. On December 1st, 2003, he was arrested and charged with robbing a Glen Burnie bank. He was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 18th, 2004. The other subject convicted of the shooting was sentenced to life in prison. The third man was sentenced to 55 years and the fourth was sentenced to 20 years. Sergeant Mowbray had served with the Maryland State Police for almost 14 years.
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- August 2, 2026
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- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Mowbray gave the Maryland State Police 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Maryland. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Mowbray.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Maryland State Police has lost 42 officers; 14 of them killed feloniously.
Wallace is one of 195 officers killed feloniously in MD, 51.6% of the 378 remembered there.
Wallace is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Wallace is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1975, 2 officers at Maryland State Police were killed feloniously, more than in any other year.
In 1975, 4 officers in MD were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 104 years on record. The heaviest was 2000, with 6.
In 1975, 163 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 21st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1975, 181 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 19th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Wallace was 39. Of the 13 killed feloniously at Maryland State Police whose age is recorded, half were between 27 and 40; the middle age was 32. Wallace had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 5.5 years.
Wallace was 39. Of the 178 killed feloniously in MD whose age is recorded, half were between 28 and 43.8; the middle age was 35. Wallace had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 8 years.
Wallace was 39. 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. Wallace had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Wallace was 39. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Wallace had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
August holds 7.1% of these deaths at Maryland State Police; March holds the most, 21.4%. Sundays: 14.3%.
August holds 8.2% of these deaths in MD; June holds the most, 11.8%. Sundays: 11.8%.
August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.
August holds 8.6% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Sundays: 15.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 33.3% of all 42 deaths at Maryland State Police, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7.1% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.6% of all 378 deaths in MD, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 5.1% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 6.3% of these deaths.
His people
Maryland State Police has 42 officers remembered here, Wallace among them.
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John W. Jeffrey
Sep 1, 1921
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William G. Lochner, Jr.
Apr 18, 1923
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Raymond O. Eicholtz
May 27, 1923
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Hugh K. Painter
Mar 31, 1924
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Albert E. Cramblitt
Oct 1, 1925
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James S. Noon
Dec 15, 1927
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Clinton Richard Rhodes
Jan 28, 1931
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Theodore Augustus Moore
Sep 25, 1932
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Imla Doran Hubbard
Mar 4, 1933
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Joseph E. Kuhn
Apr 8, 1934
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Carroll C. Creeger
Dec 23, 1934
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Wilbert V. Hunter
Feb 7, 1936
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J. F. Leo Shaab
Jul 22, 1937
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Ellsworth D. Dryden
Oct 7, 1938
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Lauren M. Ridge
Jul 14, 1950
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Leonard N. Brown
Jul 7, 1958
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Arthur W. Plummer, Jr.
Apr 9, 1961
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Thomas Asa Noyle
Oct 28, 1972
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Phillip Lee Russ
Oct 28, 1972
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Donald Eugene Parkerson, Jr.
Sep 18, 1973
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Charles Straining Rathell
Sep 18, 1973
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Milton Veasily Purnell, Jr.
May 29, 1975
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Mart Hudson, Jr.
Jun 16, 1975
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Wallace Johnson Mowbray
Aug 10, 1975
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Gregg Alexander Presbury
Dec 17, 1977
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William P. Mills, Jr.
Jun 8, 1979
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Gary L. Wade
Jan 30, 1982
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Gregory A. May
Jan 19, 1986
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Carey S. Poetzman
Jan 19, 1986
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John Edward Sawa
Mar 10, 1987
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Larry Eugene Small
Mar 10, 1987
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Eric Dwight Monk
Apr 9, 1988
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Theodore Dennis Wolf, Sr.
Mar 29, 1990
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Mark P. Groner
Oct 1, 1992
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Edward Plank
Oct 17, 1995
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Joseph Thomas Lanzi
Oct 28, 1995
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Raymond Gerald Armstead, Jr.
Mar 25, 1998
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Edward M. Toatley
Oct 30, 2000
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Anthony Jones
May 9, 2004
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Mickey Charles Lippy
Sep 28, 2008
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Wesley Washington John Brown
Jun 11, 2010
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Shaft Sidney Hunter
May 21, 2011
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 21-E
What is kept
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