Town Marshal Horace Greely Porter, aged 52, was shot and killed on Main Street in McConnelsville, Ohio, on September 7, 1905. Porter was ambushed from behind and shot four times in the back by a man who approached him unexpectedly. The suspect was known to be peculiar and mentally unbalanced, and was initially thought to be harmless. When arrested, the suspect refused to make a statement.
The case went to trial, and on November 29, 1905, the suspect was found not guilty of murder by
reason of insanity. Consequently, he was committed to a state mental hospital. Marshal Porter had served as the town marshal for eight years and was survived by his wife, four children, and five siblings.
Porter's death was a tragic event that deeply affected the community and his fellow officers. His dedication and ultimate sacrifice are honored and remembered by the Ohio Attorneys General Bureau of Criminal Investigation and other law enforcement agencies.
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