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John Leary

Case from Columbia, CA dated Nov 29, 1858

Victim Details

John Leary

Male

Columbia

CA

1858-11-29

John

Leary

07/02/2026

Case Description

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Constable John Leary of the Columbia Police Department in California met a tragic end on November 29, 1858. His death occurred during an operation aimed at apprehending three professional thieves who had been observed loitering suspiciously around the town. Leary, along with Policeman Joel McDonald, devised a plan to uncover the intentions of these men. McDonald, dressed in plain clothes, approached the suspects and gained their trust by suggesting they rob a house together. The plan was for McD ...
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Links to Additional Sources (4)

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  • Constable John Leary
  • Search for a Fallen Officer
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    Forum Posts (2)

    Has anyone looked into the backgrounds of the thieves involved in Constable Leary's murder? I find i... ...Read More
    10/31/2023
    I’ve been doing some digging into this case and something that keeps bothering me is the role of t... ...Read More
    05/15/2023
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