Marshal Marvin Eugene Richie, Magazine Police Department, Arkansas

Marshal Marvin Eugene Richie

Magazine Police Department, Arkansas

End of Watch Wednesday, June 29, 1977

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Marvin Eugene Richie

Marshal Marvin Richie was shot and killed by two Oklahoma prison escapees who had murdered two fishermen following their escape.

The two men escaped by tunneling under the prison walls. Marshal Richie observed a suspicious vehicle containing the two and stopped it. During the stop, he was overpowered, handcuffed, and forced into the trunk of his patrol car. The suspects then drove to the Ashley Creek Park campground where they were approached by two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers non-law enforcement park rangers who saw Marshal Richie's patrol car and went to investigate.

The two escapees surprised the rangers and held them at gunpoint. They forced one of the rangers into the trunk with Marshal Richie and forced the other to stay in the ranger's truck. Before closing the trunk lid one of the suspects shot Marshal Richie in the head, killing him, and the ranger in the chest. The suspects then abducted Ranger Opal James, took him to an isolated area, and murdered him execution style. The ranger who was shot in the chest recovered from his wounds. The suspects fled but were apprehended the following month in Portland, Oregon, by the FBI.

Both suspects were sentenced to death and subsequently executed on January 8th, 1997.

Marshal Richie was survived by his wife.

Bio

Age 49
Tour Not available
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber
Offender Executed in 1997

abducted, escapee, traffic stop

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Most Recent Reflection

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Heavenly Father, I come before You today grieved in heart over the divisions in our country; the United States of America. I grieve for every life lost to violence, regardless of color or creed. And I especially grieve this day over the senseless deaths of America’s Peace Officers whose sworn duty is to protect us from harm. Please grant comfort and hope to their families. I know from the Holy Scriptures in Romans 13 that Peace Officers have a sacred task, to enforce laws that protect the innocent and punish the guilty. I pray that You will protect them as they serve us. Give them wisdom, discernment, and a deep desire to serve You. Please surround every Peace Officer in our nation, the United States of America, with battalions of warring angels to protect them from harm. I stand in the powerful and mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ against every work of Satan intended to inflict injury and death on our Protectors. May Satan’s power be thwarted, in Your mighty and holy name, and his plans exposed by Your Light. In the mighty and holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Redeemer, and the Mediator between us, Heavenly Father, in prayer, and by His authority, I pray! Amen.

Please find Encouragement, Comfort, Support, and Hope from God's Word:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
[Matthew 5:9 ESV];

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." [Psalm 23:4 ESV];

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
[John 15:13 ESV];

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." [Matthew 5:4 ESV];

"And he [Jesus] said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." [Luke 23:43 ESV], and;

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." [John 3:16 ESV].

Chaplain Steven R. Closs, DDiv, MSBS, NACM, NCCA
Ordained Independent NACM Minister
The Badge 183 Peacemakers Prayer Ministry
Member: Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers - USA