Officer John McKenna was shot and killed while investigating two men he believed were stealing copper streetcar wire. Officer McKenna observed a Ford touring car driving in an alley behind Whittier Street stop at a garage. Officer McKenna Believed the occupants of the car may have been involved in the theft of copper and stopped his motorcycle next to the car and ordered the men out of the car with their hands up. Officer McKenna discovered a gun on the larger of the two men. Officer McKenna escorted the two men into the Motor Gasoline Company at 618 Whittier and asked the man in charge to telephone the station for a wagon. The smaller of the two men asked to get a drink and after receiving permission to do so walked behind Officer McKenna, drew a handgun out of his waistband and shot Officer McKenna in the head. They suspects exited the building, re-entered their vehicle and drove away.

Officer William Dillon received the description of the murderers in a Ford touring car during his routine call-in from a call-box. From the description provided he recognized the suspects as the Lewis brothers. Officer Dillon went to a garage behind the residence of the brothers and surprised Frank and Ora Lewis in the garage with his weapon drawn. Officer Dillon saw some copper wire in the trunk of a car in the garage and stepped toward the car to look into the trunk. As Officer Dillon looked into the trunk Frank Lewis struck him in the back of the head with a hatchet. Frank Lewis continued to beat Officer Dillon with a hatchet and a shovel killing him at the scene. They placed Officer Dillon's body into the trunk of the car and drove to a location on Denny Road just south of Clayton Road and buried Officer Dillon in a shallow grave. When Officer Dillon failed to place six patrol calls in a row concern for his safety grew. A woman and 2 boys living across the alley from the garage saw Officer Dillon go into the garage but not come out and reported the sighting to police. When police investigated they found blood spattered about the garage, the blood covered hatchet and a battle axe. A little girl's report that she saw blood on a rock where she was playing and led to the discovery of Officer Dillon buried in a shallow grave in St. Louis County.

Both men were eventually apprehended and sentenced to hang, however, their sentences were commuted to life.

Officer McKenna was survived by his wife, Leila. Interred: Calvary Cemetery, St Louis, MO.

Officer Dillon was survived by his father, Maurice, who was a firemen on the St. Louis Fire Department. Both of his parents were born in Ireland. Interred at Calvary Cemetery, St Louis, MO.