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Case Description
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Sheriff C. Roy Kelly, aged 45, was tragically killed on December 19, 1931, in West Plains, Missouri. Sheriff Kelly was investigating a suspicious vehicle at the Davidson Garage on East Main Street when he encountered members of the notorious Barker Gang. The gang members, Alvin Karpis and Fred Barker, were in a blue DeSoto sedan, which had been linked to a recent burglary at the C.C. McCallon Clothing Store. As Sheriff Kelly approached the car, Karpis shot him twice in the chest, striking his he ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (11)
See any mistakes?Victim Details
C. Roy Kelly
Male
White / Caucasian
West-plains
MO
1931-12-19
45
C.
Roy Kelly
11/15/2025
Forum Posts (3)
I came across a fascinating yet deeply tragic piece of history while reading about Sheriff C. Roy Ke... ...Read More
07/27/2024
07/27/2024
Has anyone else looked into the background of the Davidson Garage? It's intriguing that the encounte... ...Read More
01/12/2024
01/12/2024
I’ve been diving into the complex story surrounding the Barker Gang, and Sheriff Kelly’s murder ... ...Read More
04/03/2023
04/03/2023
