John H. Nafziger - Special Detective
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Police Department January 30, 1940

John Nafziger was born January 15, 1883, to Johannes (John) William and Adelia Axtell  Nafziger and was one of ten children.

John Nafziger married Hattie T. Ivey.

John Nafziger had been a Special Detective for Santa Fe Railroad for sixteen years when he was transferred from Wichita, Kansas to the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma railroad yards in August 1939.

Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, January 30, 1940, Railroad Detective John Nafziger, 57, was patrolling the Santa Fe railroad yards in downtown Oklahoma City when he told another railroad officer, he was going to check on a train that was due to arrive at 12:20 a. m.  At 2:20 a.m. Detective John Nafziger’s dead body was found by switch engine foreman George Hayes near Grand Avenue (now Sheridan) on the Santa Fe tracks.  Detective Nafziger had been run over by a train and his body was horribly mangled.  His left foot had been severed, his skull fractured, and his chest crushed.

Detective John Nafziger was a widower, his wife Hattie having died in 1926. John Nafziger is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas, next to his wife.

OLEM – 7N-2-23  NLEOM – 29E29

Updated January 18, 2024

James Nakedhead - Deputy U S Marshal / Officer

U. S. Marshal Service / U. S. Indian Police  February 27, 1895

Near daybreak the morning of Wednesday, February 27, 1895, Deputy Marshal James Nakedhead was a member of a group of deputy marshals and Texas Rangers that surrounded Ben Hughes’ house near Brush Hill, about ten miles southwest of present-day Checotah, in hopes of arresting the Hughes gang, suspected of a Texas train robbery occurring October 19, 1894, near Gordon, Texas. Evidence showed that Sam Baker along with the Hughes brothers Ben and Jim committed the train robbery. Others suspected in the robbery were Shirley Smith and Judd South, who also went by Judd Southern and Judd Silvers.  

The gang’s dogs alerted the gang of the officers’ approach, and they began firing on the posse. During the gun battle that followed Ben Hughes ran from the house and into the nearby brush. Judd South was next to come out running and firing at the officers. As Deputy Marshal Nakedhead rose to fire at the running Judd South, Ben Hughes fired from hiding at Deputy Marshal James Nakedhead striking him in the head, killing him instantly. Judd South escaped into the brush.

Outlaw Ben Hughes was then wounded in the arm by the officers.  Ben Hughes wife ran from the house with more ammunition for her husband and was arrested. When Ben Hughes saw his wife arrested, he surrendered. Judd South was soon located and arrested.

Deputy Marshal James Nakedhead, a Cherokee, was survived by his wife and several children and is buried in Tahlequah Cemetery, Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma.

Ben Hughes and Judd South were eventually taken to Dallas, Texas and placed in jail to await their trial on the train robbery.

On May 18th Jim Hughes was arrested by Texas Ranger Captain Bill McDonald and was also taken to Dallas and placed in jail. Jim Hughes’ alibi the day of the train robbery checked out to be true and he was released.

It is unknown what the outcome of the train robbery case was, but Ben Hughes and Judd South later stood trial in Fort Smith for the murder of Deputy Marshal James Nakedhead. The Hughes brothers pleaded innocent citing self-defense. When it was brought out that the Texas officers did not have an arrest warrant for Ben Hughes or Judd South at the time of the shootout both men were acquitted and freed.

Eight years later in early 1903, Ben Hughes and his brother, Jim, were tried in Fort Smith for the brutal October 20, 1902, murder of another Deputy U.S. Marshal, Lute Houston, by members of the Bert Casey gang and again the Hughes brothers were acquitted.

OLEM – 5N-2-19  NLEOM – 59W17

Updated February 23, 2024

Guy David Nalley - Trooper

Oklahoma Highway Patrol  October 27, 1984

Guy David Nalley, a former Seminole Police officer, had been a state trooper about two years when he stopped a truck and trailer on State Highway 6 about twenty miles west of Elk City Saturday evening, October 27, 1984, about 8:30 p.m. When Trooper Nalley radioed in to check the tag registration, he was advised that the trailer tag was stolen. When backup officers arrived soon afterwards, they found Trooper Guy Nalley dead from two .25 caliber gunshot wounds to the back of the head.

Trooper Guy Nalley, 29, was survived by his wife Jean Ann, and four children including a newborn son and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Wewoka, Seminole County, Oklahoma.

William Best was arrested fifteen miles from the scene within two hours. Best was sent to Eastern State Hospital at Vinita for mental evaluation. Two months later while at the hospital William Best took several hostages at gun point and was shot and killed by another Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper.

In July 2009 a portion of State Highway 6 from U.S. Highway 283 west to State Highway 152 was named the “Trooper David Nalley Memorial Highway.”

OLEM – 2N-2-6  NLEOM – 46W1

Updated October 24, 2023

James H. “Jim” Nance – Former Officer

Okmulgee Police Department October 12, 1942

James Nance was born in Searcy, Arkansas. By 1941 James Nance had served twenty-three years as one of the few black police officers in Okmulgee. When T. J. Dean was elected Mayor of Okmulgee in April of 1941, he replaced James Nance on the police force with W. L. Henderson.

James Nance then opened a barbecue stand in a small frame building at 211 South Muskogee in Okmulgee. About 12:45 a.m. Sunday, October 11, 1942, while James Nance was sleeping in the barbecue stand the grease pit caught fire setting the building on fire. James Nance jumped through a window to escape the flames. He was severely burned on the face, and neck and had lacerations on his arms and head from jumping through the window. James Nance was rushed to the Okmulgee negro hospital where he died at 6:40 p.m. that Sunday evening.

James Nance was survived by his wife and two daughters. The burial site of James Nance is unknown.

James H. Nance’s name was engraved on the Oklahoma Peace Officers Memorial when it was built in 1969.

OLEM – 7N-13-17 (Jim Nance)

Updated September 22, 2024

Samuel Henry Neal - Officer

Muskogee Police Department  December 26, 1915

 About 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 26, 1915, Officer Samuel Neal interrupted Willie Williams and Homer Green committing a business burglary on East Okmulgee Avenue. Willie Williams opened fire on Officer Neal striking him twice before the two men escaped. Officer Neal was able to give a description of both men before he died.

Officer Samuel Neal was survived by his wife, son and daughter and is buried in the Greenhill Cemetery, Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma.

Willie Williams was later convicted of the murder of Officer Samuel Neal and died in the Oklahoma electric chair on April 13, 1917.

OLEM – 4S-3-12  NLEOM – 31E23

Updated December 23, 2023

Peter G. "Gus" Nebhut - Deputy Sheriff

Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office  March 12, 1921

Peter Gus Nebhut was born in Texas on August 29, 1879. In 1898 Peter Gus Nebhut married Lula Margaret “Maggie Lou” Meyers. By 1921 Peter “Gus” Nebhut had served as the City Marshal of Stonewall, Oklahoma for several years and was a Pontotoc County Deputy Sheriff.

On Thursday, March 10, 1921, A man, woman and thirteen-year-old daughter checked into the Byrd Hotel at Twelfth and Townsend in Ada. They registered as “Mr. and Mrs. Ben Benson. The next morning it became known that “Mr. Benson” was illegally in possession of moonshine whiskey.

About 9:30 a.m. that Friday morning, March 11, 1921, several officers from Ada and Pontotoc County surrounded the Byrd Hotel in Ada to arrest “Mr. Benson” for possession of illegal moonshine whiskey.”Mr. Benson” seeing the officers, ran to the back door of the hotel where he was met by Deputy Sheriff “Gus” Nebhut. The two men struggled, and “Mr. Benson” shot Deputy Sheriff “Gus” Nebhut with a .25 caliber Colt automatic pistol. Deputy Sheriff “Gus” Nebhut, 41, fired three shots at “Mr. Benson” as he fled, and “Mr. Benson” returned shots at the deputy sheriff. “Gus” Nebhut, having been shot twice, then collapsed. Deputy Sheriff Peter “Gus” Nebhut was taken to the hospital for treatment of his wounds having been shot in the stomach and one kidney.

“Mr. Benson” was arrested soon after that with four bullet wounds to his legs. Deputy Sheriff Peter “Gus” Nebhut died the next morning, Saturday, March 12, 1921, about 10 a.m.

Deputy Sheriff Peter “Gus” Nebhut was survived by his wife Lula and their four children, and is buried in Highland Cemetery, Stonewall, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma.

“Mr. Benson” turned out to be B. F. Marshall who had escaped from the Le Flor County jail about six months earlier, wounding a deputy sheriff in the process.

B. F. Marshall was convicted of killing Deputy Sheriff Peter “Gus” Nebhut and was sentenced to life in prison.

OLEM – 8S-3-10 (Nesbitt)  NLEOM –

Updated March 9, 2024

Christopher James “CJ” Nelson – Sergeant

Edmond Police Department  July 19, 2022

Christopher Nelson was a member of the 157th Recruit Class of the Honolulu (Hawaii) Police Department and served there from May 1, 2007, to May 31, 2009, before joining the Edmond Police Department on July 20, 2009.

About 3 p.m., Tuesday, July 19, 2022, Sergeant Christopher Nelson, 38, was on duty on his police motorcycle stopped in a north bound lane of the 14000 block of the Broadway Extension for a red light at Comfort Drive with other stopped vehicles. At that same time a north bound white Utility truck crashed into three of the stopped vehicles and Sergeant Nelson’s motorcycle at a high rate of speed. Sergeant Christopher Nelson was transported to OU Medical Center where he soon died.

The driver of the white utility truck, Jay Stephen Fite, 54, was taken to St. Anthony Hospital to be checked out for any injuries from the crash. While Jay Fite was at the hospital, investigators obtained and served a warrant to draw a blood sample from Jay Fite. Afterwards Jay Fite was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center and charged with manslaughter.

The next day, July 20th, would have been Sergeant Christopher Nelson’s thirteen anniversary with the Edmond Police Department. Sergeant Christopher Nelson was the first Edmond Police Officer to die in the line of duty.

Sergeant Christopher Nelson was survived by his wife, Jenefer, daughter, Emily, 11 and son, Connor, 7.

Sergeant Christopher J. Nelson’s earthly remains were cremated.

Jay Fite was charged in Oklahoma County District Court in early August 2022 with Second-degree murder, or alternately, First-degree manslaughter. In March the Second-degree murder charge was dropped and Jay Fite was released on house arrest due to his illness.

On November 7, 2023, Jay Fite died while awaiting trial.

OLEM – 10N-1-20  NLEOM – 35W34

Updated December 19, 2023

Thomas Johnson Nevitt - City Marshal

El Reno Police Department  September 19, 1890

About 6 p.m. the evening of Thursday, September 18, 1890, City Marshal Thomas Nevitt, 27, attempted to quite a drunk cowboy named John Sparks who had been firing his gun in the street. City Marshal Nevitt approached John Sparks with his gun drawn but Sparks fired first hitting City Marshal Nevitt in the abdomen. As the wounded city marshal fell to the ground John Sparks ran but was soon shot in the left arm and captured by citizens who pursued him.

John Sparks’ left arm was amputated that evening and City Marshal Thomas Nevitt died eight hours later about 2 a.m. Friday, September 19th. Thomas Nevitt was the first City Marshal of El Reno and was survived by his wife Floretta, four-year-old son Walter “Rawleigh” and two-year-old daughter Nora “Edna”.

City Marshal Thomas Nevitt was buried in the Poheta Cemetery, near the town of Kipp in Saline County, Kansas.

OLEM – 5N-2-8 (Johnson Nevitt)  NLEOM – 10E29

Updated September 13, 2023

Charles Ellington Nichols - Officer

Coweta Police Department  May 3, 1995

By May 1995, Officer Charles Nichols was a twelve-year veteran of the Coweta Police Department.

About 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 1995, Officer Charles E. Nichols, 44, was in route to back another officer on a report of a man entering Coweta Elementary School armed with a knife. Officer Charles Nichols, south bound on Highway 51, entered the middle turn lane to pass another vehicle. That vehicle entered the same lane forcing Officer Nichols into the oncoming northbound lane. Officer Nichols avoided striking one north bound car but he collided with another car, killing Officer Charles Nichols, and the driver of the north bound vehicle, Darrell Huddleston, 57, of Broken Arrow.

Officer Charles Nichols was survived by his wife and is buried in Vernon Cemetery, Coweta, Wagoner County, Oklahoma.

OLEM – 2N-3-9  NLEOM – 29W20

Updated April 26, 2024

Charles Monroe Nichols - Deputy Sheriff

Marshall County Sheriff’s Office     February 4, 1921

The morning of Friday, February 4, 1921, Deputy Sheriff Charles Nichols, 49, along with Sheriff John Glenn and Deputy Sheriff Bill Dickerson were searching a home near Kinlock where a whiskey still had been discovered. Deputy Sheriff Charles Nichols was in the house alone when a gun shot was heard. The other officers started into the house when they were met by Deputy Sheriff Charles Nichols at the door coming out. Deputy Sheriff Nichols stated “I accidentally dropped my gun and have killed myself” before he pitched forward and died.

The supposition is that Deputy Sheriff Nichols bent to look under a bed when his gun dropped from its holster and discharged striking him in the breast.

Deputy Sheriff Charles Nichols was survived by his wife Sallie and four children and is buried in Woodberry Forest Cemetery, Madill, Marshall County, Oklahoma.

OLEM – 9N-3-3  NLEOM –

Updated January 24,2024

Eric Howell Nicholson - Deputy Sheriff

Seminole County Sheriff’s Office  January 10, 1945

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 10, 1945, Deputy Sheriff Eric Nicholson, 35, arrested Harlin Broyles, a Missouri State Prison escapee, at Fourth and Broadway in Seminole for attempting to pass a forged check. Harlin Broyles resisted arrest, pulled a .32 caliber gun from under his coat and shot the unarmed deputy sheriff twice. One of the shots struck the deputy’s heart, killing him almost instantly. Harlin Broyles then escaped.

On February 2nd Harlin Broyles was arrested in Waco, Texas after shooting another officer there. Harlin Broyles was convicted of Deputy Sheriff Eric Nicholson’s murder and died in Oklahoma’s electric chair on January 30, 1947.

Deputy Sheriff Eric Nicholson was survived by his wife, Esther, and four-year-old son, Phillip.

Eric Nicholson is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Seminole, Seminole County, Oklahoma.

OLEM – 7N-3-5  NLEOM – 45E1

Updated January 6, 2024

Joseph Earl Nicolle - Trooper

Oklahoma Highway Patrol  July 26, 1990

Trooper Joseph Nicolle had been with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol about eight years and had been assigned to their Air Division just over two years on his 39th birthday, July 26, 1990.

About 2 p.m. that Thursday afternoon Trooper Joseph Nicolle was flying to Adair County to assist local officers in spotting marijuana fields from the air. Near Tahlequah and the intersection of Highways 10 and 62, Trooper Nicolle’s Oklahoma Highway Patrol helicopter struck a power line and crashed, killing Trooper Nicolle.  

Trooper Joseph Nicolle was survived by his wife Vicki, two sons and two daughters and is buried in Resthaven Gardens Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Cleveland County, Oklahoma.

OLEM – 2N-2-26  NLEOM – 44W11

Updated July 25, 2024

Marion W. "Joe" Nix - Deputy U. S. Marshal

U. S. Marshal Service August 3, 1894

Marion W. “Joe” Nix was either born on August 27, 1863, in Calloway County, Kentucky (Oklahoma Heroes) or August 2, 1851, in Cherokee County, Georgia to Larkin and Mary Ann (Forster) Nix (Find-A-Grave).

Marion Nix married Julia A Strawhun in 1872. They divorced in 1889 in Rolla Phelps County, Missouri. When they married, they had one child, a daughter, Emma Nix, who was born in 1871.

Marion Nix then married Martha Jane Moss and they had one child, Cecil M. Nix born June 3, 1893, in Vian, Sequoyah County, Indian Territory.

Marion W. “Joe” Nix was first commissioned as a Deputy U. S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas under U.S. Marshal George C. Crump out of Ft, Smith, Arkansas.

The federal court for the District of Indian Territory was established by Congress in 1889 with the seat in Muskogee, I.T. The court was described as the “first white man’s court” in the Territory and delt with civil cases and minor criminal cases. More serious cases were still handled by the federal court for the Western District of Arkansas at Fort Smith. James McAlester was the Presidential appointee for the position of United States Marshal for the new district, and once appointed Marion “Joe” Nix was sworn in as one of McAlester’s field deputies.

On the evening of Friday, August 3, 1894, Deputy Marshal “Joe” Nix rode out of Vian, a small town ten miles west of Sallisaw, on his large gray horse. Nix had told friends he was going out to arrest James Gertie, who had taunted the deputy marshal earlier in the day saying he had whiskey and for Deputy Marshal “Joe” Nix to come get it.

About midnight Deputy Marshal “Joe” Nix’s gray horse returned to Vian, without Nix. The next morning Deputy Marshal Nix was found dead with numerous shotgun pellet wounds in his body. James Gertie was arrested for the murder of Deputy Marshal Nix that same day.

On August 6th, a black man named William Ford walked into the U. S. Marshal’s office in Ft. Smith and said he had killed a white man riding a gray horse a few miles from Vian. William Ford had been visiting relatives and they were setting on their porch when the man rode toward their house with a gun in his hand. The man got off his horse and ordered everyone to raise their hands. Fearing for his safety William Ford grabbed his shotgun and ran into a corn field with the man in pursuit. When William Ford saw the man raise his gun Ford turned and fired hitting the man. The man turned and started to walk back to his horse then fell to the ground. William Ford went to him and found he was dead.

An investigation made the deputy marshals think Deputy Marshal “Joe” Nix had mistaken William Ford for an escaped convict named Andy Hunter, as they resembled each other. James Gertie was released. William Ford was later also released after a federal grand jury found that William Ford had fired in self-defense as Deputy Marshal “Joe” Nix had never identified himself as a deputy marshal.

Marion W. Nix was survived by his wife Martha and children, Emma, 23, and Cecil, 1, and is buried in Garden of Memories Cemetery, Vian, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma.

OLEM – 10N-1-5   NLEOM – 14E2

Updated August 4, 2023

Patrick Henry Nolan – Assistant Game Warden

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife

The evening of Saturday, December 9, 1922, Assistant State Game Warden Patrick Nolan was driving on 23rd street about ten miles west of Oklahoma City along with William “Billy” Sterrett, 60, a packing house superintendent from Chickasha and Earl Bryant, 45, an employee of the school land department, when the car ran off the rain slick street and rolled over killing Patrick Nolan and Billy Sterrett. Earl Bryant was not seriously injured. The cause of the accident appeared to be blinding bright car headlights from an oncoming car.

Patrick Nolan’s death does not appear to be a line of duty death.

OLEM – 8S-13-18

Updated June 16, 2021

James Clifford Norman - Deputy Sheriff

Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office November 2, 1970

Deputy Sheriff James Norman had served as an officer on the Antlers Police Department about eight months before becoming a Pushmataha County Deputy Sheriff a month before his death. The City Council of Antlers met Monday night, November 2, 1970, and voted to hire Deputy Sheriff James Norman, 39, as their new Chief of Police, to take office on Wednesday, November 4th.

About midnight that Monday, November 2nd, night Antlers police officers, who had been drinking coffee with their new Chief just an hour before, found Deputy Sheriff James Norman dead slumped over the steering wheel of his car from two 30-06 rifle wounds fired from ambush outside the car.

The next day Gerald Anthony “Tony” Hall, 26, was arrested for Deputy Sheriff Norman’s murder. It appeared to be a revenge shooting as Hall’s tavern had been closed by the Sheriff’s office and he had been arrested by Deputy Sheriff Norman Saturday night for drunk driving. Anthony Hall was convicted of the murder of Deputy Sheriff James Norman and sentenced to life in prison.

Deputy Sheriff James Norman was survived by his wife Temple, two young daughters and a son and is buried in Finley Cemetery, Finley, Pushmataha County, Oklahoma.

OLEM – 1N-2-1  NLEOM – 33W15

Updated October 30, 2023

Matthew Ryan North – Officer

Bernice Police Department     November 20, 2021

Officer Matthew North, 34, completed his regular patrol shift about 5 p.m. the afternoon of Friday, March 19, 2021, and immediately drove himself to the Cleora EMS station, seeking medical assistance for chest pains. Cleora EMS transported Officer Matthew North to Grove Integris Hospital for treatment. Officer North was released from the hospital later that evening but returned early the next morning Saturday, March 20, 2021, and died at the hospital just after 8 a.m. that morning.

Officer Matthew North was survived by his fiancé Jaymie Randall, his son Joseph, 17, his daughter Kimber, 9, and his mother Pat North.

Officer Matthew North is buried in Olympus North Cemetery, Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma.

OLEM – 12N-1-1  NLEOM – 31W33

Updated September 22, 2024

August Godfrey Nowka - Officer

Tuttle Police Department  August 20, 1939

August G. Nowaka was born January 31, 1892, in Glenvil, Clay County, Nebraska to Martin and Neelke Renetius (Hinrichs) Nowka. August Nowaka married Myrtle Lee Outhouse on October 24, 1914, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The night of Sunday, August 20, 1939, Tuttle City Marshal L. C. Force asked Officer August Nowka to assist him in arresting three men at the Thompson Cafe who were suspected of committing several robberies in Minco, Enid, and Chickasha.

The officers found the men, Lee Bowen, 20, Hugh Douglas, 21, and Dorris Schabnitt, 21, at the café and advised them they were under arrest. As the officers began searching the men, Lee Bowen drew a concealed gun and shot both officers. City Marshal L. C. Force was wounded in the leg while Officer August Nowka was shot in the head, neck, and lung. Officer August Nowka died within a few minutes before a doctor could arrive at the café.

Lee Bowen and Hugh Douglas, who were wounded by City Marshal Force, escaped but Dorris Schabnitt surrendered to the wounded city marshal. Lee Bowen and Hugh Douglas were arrested the next day after being wounded in a chase and shootout near the Kansas line with Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troopers.

Officer August Nowka was survived by his wife Myrtle and five children, William Martin, 24, Thelma Lois, 23, Edward R., 20, Nadine Emily, 18, and one child whose name and age at the time of their father’s death is unknown.

August G. Nowka is buried in Fairview Cemetery, Tuttle, Grady County, Oklahoma.

Lee Bowen pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

Dorris Schafnitt pleaded guilty to robbery and received a seven-year term in prison.

Hugh Douglas pleaded guilty to armed robbery with firearm and sentenced to seven years in prison. He later escaped prison and was killed in a shootout with Oklahoma City police officers in February 1942.

OLEM – 7N-2-13  NLEOM – 35W27

Updated August 18, 2023