Deputy Sheriff Earl J. Bucher, Weld County Sheriff's Office, Colorado

Deputy Sheriff Earl J. Bucher

Weld County Sheriff's Office, Colorado

End of Watch Tuesday, December 31, 1940

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Earl J. Bucher

Deputy Sheriff Earl Bucher was shot and killed on New Year's Eve while responding to the scene of a domestic disturbance near Johnstown in which a man had just shot his wife.

As Deputy Bucher approached the house around 12 a.m. just south of current Road 36 and Road 13, the man stuck a shotgun out of the door and shot him in the head.

The suspect then stole Deputy Bucher's gun and pinned Deputy Bucher's badge onto his own clothing. He was still wearing the badge when he was located by a posse of nearly a dozen officers and a dozen more civilians in a nearby shanty. The man was shot and killed by the posse in a shootout that lasted more than one hour.

Deputy Belcher was a WWI Army veteran. He was survived by his wife, his parents, his brother, and his sister.

Bio

Age 45
Tour Not available
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun
Offender Shot and killed

domestic

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Most Recent Reflection

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Deputy Sheriff Bucher,
On today, the 84th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice-not just as a Law Enforcement Officer but for our Country as well when you served with the U.S. Army as a member of the 41st “Sunset” Division in Europe during World War I.

BPA Mike Casey
United States Border Patrol(Retired)

December 31, 2024