Sheriff William D. Mull

William D. Mull

Sheriff William Mull and Deputy William Sweem were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had just murdered the family who lived next door. The suspect attacked the female neighbor with an axe and then shot and killed her two young children before walking into town. Sheriff Mull and Deputy Sweem located the man inside a local bank and confronted him. The suspect then shot and killed both before fleeing the scene. The man committed suicide later in the afternoon when he was surrounded by a posse.

Sheriff Mull was just completing his first term as sheriff when the incident occurred. He was also a Civil War veteran of three different units and mustered out as Lt. Colonel.. Sheriff Mull was survived by his two children.