John E. Frey
Agency patch
Sergeant

John E. Frey

New York State Police — Albany, NY
Felonious
End of Watch March 18, 1931
Age 35
The Vigil Panel 61 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Frey was shot and killed by a prisoner he was transporting. Sergeant Frey was transporting the suspect in the suspect’s own vehicle while another Trooper was transporting another suspect in a police vehicle. Unknown to Sergeant Frey, there was a gun hidden in the vehicle and the suspect was able to reach that gun. The suspect overtook and disarmed the other Trooper, and freed his friend from custody. Both suspects returned to where Sergeant Frey was standing by the road and killed him in an exchange of gunfire. A few days later both suspects were captured after a gunfight with police in McAlester, Oklahoma. Both suspects were convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 30 years to life Febuary 13, 1932. They were both paroled in 1952. One was sent back to prison in 1954 for burglarizing a tavern near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was paroled again in 1964, but was returned to prison a short time later for violating his parole.

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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.
Sergeant Frey served with the New York State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of New York. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Frey.

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

Agency

Type State Police
Location Albany, Albany County, NY
Platform Identity nysp.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 18, 1931
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1931, 221 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 35. 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.

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

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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

New York State Police has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years

Sergeant John E. Frey

New York State Police · End of Watch March 18, 1931

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 1-W

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