In the summer of 1974, a decorated veteran's life was cut tragically short in the line of duty. James Michael Lewis, a 30-year-old White / Caucasian male, was serving as a Deputy Sheriff with the Mohave County Sheriff's Office. A United States Army veteran of the Vietnam War, he held a master's degree in police science and had been with the department for 13 months, having previously served a year with the Coconino County Sheriff's Office.
On July 22, 1974, Deputy Lewis responded to a
domestic assault call at a service station known as Cook's Corner, situated on Arizona 95 in Mohave Valley, about 20 miles south of Bullhead City. Upon his arrival, he was met by the service station operator. Without warning, the operator fired a single, close-range shot from a high-powered rifle, killing Deputy Lewis instantly. As the assailant fled the scene, he also wounded a witness.
The perpetrator was a 53-year-old man with a known criminal history, including having served a year in prison for stabbing a bartender in a drunken rage between 1968 and 1969. Following the murder of Deputy Lewis, the suspect faced a series of legal battles. His first two trials resulted in mistrials, creating a period of uncertainty. However, justice was eventually served on March 10, 1975, when he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and assault with intent to kill. He received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. An appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court was later denied on June 25, 1986. Deputy Lewis was survived by his wife and child.
