Police Officer Albert R. Siko

Albert R. Siko

Police Officer Albert Siko succumbed to wounds received two days earlier while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect. He had just gotten off duty and was waiting for a streetcar when a citizen alerted him to a streetcar robbery taking place one block away.

Officer Siko rushed to the scene and observed the suspect fleeing. As he chased the suspect into an alley near Second Street and Delmar Boulevard, the man turned and shot Officer Siko in the face. The man then shot Officer Siko three more times as he lay on the ground. After the man fled, Officer Siko was able to crawl to a call box and summon help. The suspect was arrested the next day and positively identified by Officer Siko in the hospital before he succumbed to his wounds.

The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He told prison officials that even though Officer Siko identified him as innocent. He said he admitted to the shooting because police told him that he would hang if he did not. A few weeks later, a man was arrested with Officer Siko's service revolver in his pocket. He admitted killing Officer Siko, was convicted of his murder, and was sentenced to life in prison on October 13, 1934. The other suspect was released.

The 27-year-old ex-convict and cellmate of John Dillinger was stabbed to death by a fellow inmate on October 17, 1953.

Officer Siko had served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for six years. He was survived by his wife and two small sons.