Sergeant Owen T. Farley

Owen T. Farley

Sergeant Farley was shot and killed while transporting two suspects to police headquarters for questioning. Sergeant Farley had been conducting surveillance of a suspicious vehicle on South State Street after receiving information that it belonged to a robbery suspect. He stopped a man and woman who approached the car and began to question them. He handcuffed the male suspect in front and was going to take them to the police station in his patrol car but the car broke down. He instead drove the suspect's vehicle. During the ride to the station the man produced a .38 caliber handgun from his front coat pocket and shot Sergeant Farley in the side.

The suspect fled the scene and was apprehended a short time later hiding in a locker. The man was convicted of the murder and executed by firing squad at the Utah State Prison on July 1, 1955.

Sergeant Farley had been with the agency for ten years.