Deputy Sheriff
 
J. Edward Lee
 
Ray County Sheriff's Department
 
End of Watch: Thursday, July 27, 1922
 
Age: 44
 
DOB:
 
Tour of Duty:
 
Cause of death: Gunfire
 
Suspect information:
 
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Deputy Lee was shot and killed by suspect while searching coal box cars at Lexington Junction. Deputy Lee was making an inspection of a westbound freight train on the Wabash tracks at Lexington when he noticed five men in a coal car at the east end of the yard. He was searching one of the men when he found four bullets in one of the man's pockets. The man drew a revolver from his other pocket and shot Deputy Lee through the neck. Deputy Lee, fatally wounded, fell from the car to the ground. His killer, Louis Trider, jumped from the train and fled between the train cars. Deputy Lee was taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri where he died later that evening.

Louis Trider also killed Sergeant Harry Lemkemeier of the the St. Louis Police Department the previous day. Detectives were waiting for Trider when he returned to St. Louis and killed him in a gun battle on October 12th when he refused to surrender.

Related memorial page:  [Sergeant Harry Lemkemeier - St. Louis Police Department]