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Elza O'Dell
Agency patch
Detective

Elza O'Dell

Gary Police Department — Gary, IN
Felonious
United States flag Indiana flag
End of Watch January 31, 1953
Age 43
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 88 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 14

Incident

Detective Elza O'Dell succumbed to gunshot wounds suffered one week earlier when he and his partner tried to arrest a subject at 1225 Washington Street. The officers had responded after the man's ex-wife complained he had come to her house with a knife. They followed the subject into a building and confronted him, at which time he shot Detective O'Dell five times. The suspect was shot three times by Detective O'Dell and later charged with murder. Detective O'Dell, who was shot in the throat, abdomen, and right leg, lingered for a week before he died from his injuries. The suspect was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to two to 21 years in prison. He was paroled in 1960 with the condition that he return to Puerto Rico. Detective O'Dell had served with the Gary Police Department for 17 years. He was Lake County's first African American police officer killed in the line of duty.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective O'Dell gave the Gary Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gary community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective O'Dell.

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

Agency

Department Gary Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Gary, Lake County, IN
Platform Identity garypd.lake.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 31, 1953
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Elza 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1953, 72 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 98th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Elza was 43. 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. Elza had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Gary Police Department has 15 officers remembered here, Elza among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Elza O'Dell

Gary Police Department · End of Watch January 31, 1953

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-W

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