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Cory Raymond Elson
Agency patch
Trooper

Cory Raymond Elson

Indiana State Police — Indianapolis, IN
Felonious
United States flag Indiana flag
End of Watch April 3, 1999
Age 26
Tour of Duty 3 mo
The Vigil Panel 146 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 45

Incident

Trooper Cory Elson was shot and killed after making a traffic stop on U.S. 27 in Decatur in Adams County.

As Trooper Elson exited his vehicle, the suspect opened fire with a fully automatic AK-47. One of the first rounds penetrated the cruiser's door and struck Trooper Elson in the leg. Trooper Elson retreated to the rear of his cruiser and returned fire. The suspect continued to fire at Trooper Elson, firing as many as 36 rounds, fatally wounding him. An employee of a business was shot and wounded during the gunfire and was able to call 911.

The suspect was able to flee the scene but was captured the next day. In July 2000, the suspect was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 20 years after entering a plea agreement to be spared the death penalty.

Trooper Elson was the second of three troopers in 10 months to be killed in the line of duty from the 56th ISP Recruit Academy which graduated in December 1998. He was a roommate of Trooper Richard Gaston who was killed in the line of duty on March 4, 1999.

In Our Keeping

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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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Elson served with the Indiana State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Indiana. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Elson.

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

Agency

Department Indiana State Police
Type State Police
Location Indianapolis, IN
Platform Identity insp.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 3, 1999
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Cory 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.

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1999, 58 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 133rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Cory was 26. 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. Cory had served 0.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

April holds 8.4% 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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Indiana State Police has 46 officers remembered here, Cory among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper Cory Raymond Elson

Indiana State Police · End of Watch April 3, 1999

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 39-E

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