Marshal John W. Reives

John W. Reives

Marshal John Reives succumbed to two gunshot wounds received five days earlier while attempted to arrest two suspects.

He had observed the suspects commit a burglary and had ordered them out from behind a bush. One suspect opened fire on him, striking him in the hand and in the spine. He was transported to a local hospital where he died five days later. The two suspects were later arrested.

The suspect, 19, who shot Marshal Reives was convicted of his murder and sentenced to death. On July 18th, 1921, Governor W. D. Stephens commuted his sentence to life when it was discovered he was age 17 at the time of the murder. California law prohibited the execution of an individual under the age of 18. He had a parole hearing in 1931; the outcome unknown.

Marshal Reives was survived by his wife, two children, mother, and two brothers.