Night Watchman Andrew W. McNaughton, aged 43, tragically lost his life on March 17, 1906, in Oxnard, California. McNaughton was performing his duties when he attempted to arrest three men in a Japanese pool hall located in the red light district. During the struggle, one of the men managed to stick a pistol in McNaughton's ear and fired, resulting in his immediate death.
His body was discovered the following morning in an alley behind the pool hall.
The investigation into McNaughton's murder led to the arrest of one suspect just days after the incident. On November 1, 1909, another suspect was apprehended in Los Angeles. This suspect provided information that led to the arrest of the third suspect, who was also the gunman, in El Paso, Texas, four days later. The first suspect faced two trials for murder, both of which ended in hung juries. With new information from the other two suspects, he was set to be tried a third time but went insane and was committed to Patton Asylum, where he died on February 18, 1915.
In March 1910, the gunman was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. However, he was paroled on March 24, 1925. There is no detailed trial information available for the third suspect, but it is believed that he received a lighter sentence due to his cooperation with the police. The case of Night Watchman Andrew W. McNaughton remains a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty.
