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Harry W. Oebels
Agency patch
Sergeant

Harry W. Oebels

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — St. Louis, MO
Felonious
United States flag Missouri flag
End of Watch July 8, 1966
Age 48
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 223 · Column 2 · Line 13 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 175

Incident

Sergeant Harry Oebels was shot and killed when he intervened in a robbery at a pharmacy at 4221 Bayless Avenue in Lemay. He had gone to the pharmacy to pick up his wife, who worked there, when two men entered and announced a holdup. When the two men ordered Sergeant Oebels to come closer, he drew his revolver and exchanged shots with the suspects. He was fatally wounded in the exchange of shots. One of his shots struck one of the suspects in the buttocks. Three weeks later, one suspect, a 38-year-old ex-convict, was apprehended near Bonne Terre when he was stopped in a stolen car. He swore he was innocent. In March of 1967, he was tried and acquitted. On April 2, 1967, an Illinois state trooper was tipped off with information as to who the killers were. One, the actual gunman, 41, was serving a 10 to 20-year sentence for burglary in Illinois State Penitentiary. Shortly after he entered prison, in August of 1966, a bullet was removed from his buttock. A ballistics test proved the bullet came from Sergeant Oesbels' service revolver. On April 21, 1967, the other suspect, 28, and his wife, 18, were apprehended in Aurora, Illinois. It was determined that the first suspect was telling the truth. He was innocent. He looked so much like one suspect he was misidentified. In 1969 the gunman was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life on March 15, 1973. The other man was convicted of second-degree murder in 1967 and sentenced to 15 years. Sergeant Oebels had served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 18 years. He was survived by his wife. His brother-in-law also served with the St. Louis Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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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 Oebels gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Oebels.

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

Agency

Department St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, City of Saint Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 8, 1966
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Harry 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1966, 77 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 91st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Harry was 48. 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. Harry had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Harry among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Harry W. Oebels

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch July 8, 1966

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-W

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