Lt. Sidney Sears Shot

Few events shocked St. Louis like the line of duty death of Lt. Sidney Sears in June 1924.  For almost 30 years, Lt. Sears was considered the best pistol shot on the St. Louis Police Department.  In 1904, Sears was also National Pistol Champion of the United States.

For someone to kill Lt. Sears in a shootout was considered impossible.  However, on June 22, 1924, at 2:50 am, William Lashley shot Lt. Sears, while he sat in the back seat of an unmarked detective’s car.  In a shootout, Lt. Sears may have survived but facts would reveal he never had a chance to defend himself.

On the late night in question, a call came into the detective bureau about a stabbing near 14th and Papin Streets.  Lt. Sears and Lt. Alyward took a team of detectives to the scene of the stabbing.

When Lt. Sears arrived with Detectives Stogell and Mergelkamp, Det. Mergelkamp told Lt. Sears he should remain in the care because of the muddy conditions.  Lt. Sears had been sick causing Mergelkamp worry about Lt. Sears getting worse due to the damp conditions.  The two detectives walked to the scene as Lt. Sears rested in the unmarked car.

Almost as soon as the detectives were out of sight, Lt. Sears observed William Lashley moving away from the scene.  Sears called Lashley over to the vehicle.

Lashley would later say that Lt. Sears was holding his revolver in his hand, when he called him over.  Since Lt. Sears was in civilian clothes and Lashley couldn’t see a badge, he thought he was being robbed.  Lashley pulled out a revolver of his own and shot Lt. Sears six times.

Attracted by the shots, Detective Mergelkamp returned to the car and observed Lashley run from the vehicle.  Detective Mergelkamp chased Lashley, who stopped when Mergelkamp identified himself and put his flashlight on Lashley.

However, when he attempted to arrest Lashley, Lashley began to fight to get away.  Detective Mergelkamp struck Lashley in the head with his revolver, which ended Lashley’s attempted escape.  Mergelkamp drug Lashley back to the scene, where other detectives were tending to Lt. Sears.

Lt. Sears had been shot in the chest six times.  His revolver was in his right hand and his badge was visible on the outside of his suit coat.  Lt. Sears had discharged one round from his pistol but it was believed to have been fired when his finger jerked due to being shot.

Based on later witness statements, it is unlikely Sears pulled his revolver until after he had been shot at least once and never had enough time to employ his accomplished shooting skills.

Lashley initially denied shooting Lt. Sears but admitted his guilt as witness statements implicated him.  An eyewitness saw Lashley pull his revolver and point it into the vehicle.  Lt. Sears grabbed for it and Lashley shot at least one round off in the car.  He then stepped back from the vehicle, fired several more shots and attempted to flee the area, when arrested by Detective Mergelkamp.

Lashley was 50 to 55 years old when arrested and did not have a criminal record prior to shooting Lt. Sears.  Initially sentenced to death, Lashley would be convicted of Second Degree Murder during retrial.

Lashley started his sentence in the Missouri Penitentiary on May 25, 1928.  He would be paroled almost 13 years later on February 26, 1941.  Lashley may have moved back to Tennessee, his home state, after his release.

The 57-year old Lt. Sears left a wife Rose, who he lived with at 4833 Sacramento Avenue.  Lt. Sears had been a St. Louis Police Officer for 34 years having started on the force in 1890.  Lt. Sears was greatly missed by the men, who worked for him or who he trained, and his devoted wife.

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Sources: St. Louis Star-Times, June 23, 1924 edition, p. 1 and 4, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 24, 1924 edition, p. 17, Missouri State Penitentiary Records and Missouri Death Certificates Database

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