Memorial
Deputy Kraig Conger
END OF WATCH: DECEMBER 28, 2022
On December 28, 2022, Deputy Kraig Conger died after suffering a massive fatal heart attack while on duty, driving in his ACSO vehicle and performing his ADMIT Program functions. Kraig was 51 years old. Deputy Conger is memorialized on the ACSO Memorial Garden, but does not meet the requirements for a "line of duty death" for both the Colorado and National LE Memorials.
Deputy Conger received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Colorado State University and played basketball under scholarship there.
Kraig worked at the Sheriff’s Office for 22 years. He began his career at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility in 2000. In 2003, Kraig was awarded the ACSO Life Saving Medal. In 2008, he was assigned to the Detention Services Bureau’s newly created ADMIT program where he worked until his death.
In 2017, he was awarded the Russ Oberlin Respect for Law Award by the Littleton Optimist Club for his commitment to his community and his service with ACSO. While Conger worked a variety of positions, the one he truly made a difference in is the Arapahoe Diverts Mentally Ill to Treatment (ADMIT) program. He helped make the program a success for those who were part of it. He also devoted his time to mentoring the youth in his community and coaching them in football, basketball and baseball.
Kraig was passionate about his job. His continued service, as a professional law enforcement officer and as a community volunteer, highlights his value to our area. Undoubtedly, he had a significant impact in this community and his profession. Deputy Conger is survived by his wife Leslie, son Kaleb, daughter Hannah, other relatives and many friends.
Deputy Conger received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Colorado State University and played basketball under scholarship there.
Kraig worked at the Sheriff’s Office for 22 years. He began his career at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility in 2000. In 2003, Kraig was awarded the ACSO Life Saving Medal. In 2008, he was assigned to the Detention Services Bureau’s newly created ADMIT program where he worked until his death.
In 2017, he was awarded the Russ Oberlin Respect for Law Award by the Littleton Optimist Club for his commitment to his community and his service with ACSO. While Conger worked a variety of positions, the one he truly made a difference in is the Arapahoe Diverts Mentally Ill to Treatment (ADMIT) program. He helped make the program a success for those who were part of it. He also devoted his time to mentoring the youth in his community and coaching them in football, basketball and baseball.
Kraig was passionate about his job. His continued service, as a professional law enforcement officer and as a community volunteer, highlights his value to our area. Undoubtedly, he had a significant impact in this community and his profession. Deputy Conger is survived by his wife Leslie, son Kaleb, daughter Hannah, other relatives and many friends.
Investigator Roland Oliver Lackey
END OF WATCH: OCTOBER 27, 1993
On October 27, 1993 Investigator Roland Lackey died in the line of duty after suffering a massive fatal heart attack following an intense search for a missing 5 year old child. Investigator Lackey is memorialized on both the Colorado and National LE Memorials.
The memorial in the 1993 Annual Report lists Inv. Lackey's youth spent in Lima, Peru where he became fluent in Spanish and his service in the US Air Force before becoming a law enforcement officer with Denver PD (1971-1973), Commerce City PD (1973-1979) and finally ACSO in 1980. The report lists his past accomplishments as a Patrol Deputy, Motorcycle Unit Deputy, FTO and Hostage Negotiator on his career path to becoming and Investigator.
On August 2, 1993 Inv. Lackey was assigned as the lead investigator on the Lori Ann Lowe murder, one of the violent crimes of Denver's legendary "summer of violence". The case received national attention. Inv. Lackey vowed to her family that he would solve the case if it were the last thing he ever did. He did, and it nearly was. Within a few months, Inv. Lackey suffered his fatal heart attack in the Investigations offices of the old ACSO HQ on Littleton Blvd. Several fellow investigators came to his aid and attempted CPR, but to no avail.
Inv. Lackey was survived by his wife Robin and his four children Nathan, Laura, Matt (who is now a Denver Police Officer) and Thane, other relatives and so many friends.
The memorial in the 1993 Annual Report lists Inv. Lackey's youth spent in Lima, Peru where he became fluent in Spanish and his service in the US Air Force before becoming a law enforcement officer with Denver PD (1971-1973), Commerce City PD (1973-1979) and finally ACSO in 1980. The report lists his past accomplishments as a Patrol Deputy, Motorcycle Unit Deputy, FTO and Hostage Negotiator on his career path to becoming and Investigator.
On August 2, 1993 Inv. Lackey was assigned as the lead investigator on the Lori Ann Lowe murder, one of the violent crimes of Denver's legendary "summer of violence". The case received national attention. Inv. Lackey vowed to her family that he would solve the case if it were the last thing he ever did. He did, and it nearly was. Within a few months, Inv. Lackey suffered his fatal heart attack in the Investigations offices of the old ACSO HQ on Littleton Blvd. Several fellow investigators came to his aid and attempted CPR, but to no avail.
Inv. Lackey was survived by his wife Robin and his four children Nathan, Laura, Matt (who is now a Denver Police Officer) and Thane, other relatives and so many friends.
Undersheriff Benjamin Lee Goorman
END OF WATCH: JUNE 20, 1945
On June 19, 1945 Undersheriff Ben Goorman and Englewood Police Chief Jess Briddle had arrested a theft suspect and previously convicted felon, Wayne Simpson. He was taken to the Sheriff’s Office building in Littleton and questioned, and agreed to allow the two officers to search the basement room he rented at 325 W. Alamo St. in Littleton. Once they were in his room, Simpson chatted with the two officers for an hour while they searched his room. He eventually began rummaging through two suitcases that had been sitting on his bed. Simpson suddenly pulled out a .38 revolver and stated “This gun is loaded and I am going to kill you both.” Simpson pointed the gun at Goorman, who reached for his blackjack in his hip pocket and charged at Simpson. Simpson fired the pistol, striking Goorman in the right side and causing him to fall to the ground. Simpson then fired once at Chief Briddle and missed, as Briddle shot Simpson three times, staggering him. Chief Briddle then dragged Goorman outside when he heard a gunshot from Simpson’s room. He reentered and found Simpson dead of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Undersheriff Goorman died of his wound at Porter Sanatorium the following day, June 20, 1945. He was 29 years old.
At his funeral, on June 23, 1945, Englewood Police and Firefighters served as the pallbearers. He is buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Block 47.
Before being appointed as Undersheriff by Sheriff Charles Foster, Goorman had been an Englewood Police Patrolman for 2 years. He was survived by his wife Shirley and three children; Charles, Jane Kay and Connie, as well as his parents and several siblings, including his brother George who only a week before, had returned home from World War II service in Italy and Africa.
At his funeral, on June 23, 1945, Englewood Police and Firefighters served as the pallbearers. He is buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Block 47.
Before being appointed as Undersheriff by Sheriff Charles Foster, Goorman had been an Englewood Police Patrolman for 2 years. He was survived by his wife Shirley and three children; Charles, Jane Kay and Connie, as well as his parents and several siblings, including his brother George who only a week before, had returned home from World War II service in Italy and Africa.
Deputy Sheriff Charles H. Wilcox
END OF WATCH: SEPTEMBER 19, 1899
Born in 1848 in Michigan, Deputy Sheriff Charles H. Wilcox was a long time Deputy Sheriff for Arapahoe County, mentioned in numerous newspaper accounts from the 1870s and 188os. The incident in which he was shot and wounded occurred on February 20, 1875. He was shot in the back, with the bullet passing through his abdomen after striking his kidney. Charles recovered and continued to serve as a deputy sheriff. When Charles died years later on September 19, 1899, the obituaries and articles cited the shooting incident in which he was gravely wounded and listed Bright's disease as the cause, a condition stemming from his gunshot wound. Bright's Disease was a late 19th century "catch all" for all sorts of kidney ailments which would eventually lead to kidney failure and death. In the opinion of modern doctors, a death more than 20 years later from kidney damage resulting from the on duty gunshot injury and kidney damage was consistent and in line with the state of medical knowledge and technology at the time.Deputy Sheriff Wilcox was added to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office Memorial on May 15, 2021.
Deputy Gabriel B. Hollingsworth Jr.
END OF WATCH: DECEMBER 10, 1887
On December 7, 1887, 22 year old Deputy Sheriff Gabe Hollingsworth was sworn in by his brother, Arapahoe County Undersheriff Frank Hollingsworth to help pursue a wanted and dangerous jail escapee named Newt Vorce, known as the “Deer Trail Desperado” and the “Terror of Deer Trail” who had shot and wounded another deputy, Amos Cantley that day near Deer Trail Colorado.
Vorce was a well-known local outlaw and a Confederate Army veteran. He had escaped from the Arapahoe County Jail in May of 1887, where he was serving a sentence for horse stealing and assault. For six months he was reported to be terrorizing the residents near the towns of Deer Trail, Byers and Agate. On December 7, 1887 Vorce was confronted in the town of Deer Trail and in an exchange of gunfire wounded Deputy Amos Cantley in the arm. Other deputies arrived by train from Denver led by Undersheriff Frank Hollingsworth and Deputy John Chivington (of Sand Creek Massacre infamy), but Vorce escaped. Most of the deputies returned to Denver, but Frank Hollingsworth, his brother Gabe and several other men continued the pursuit.
On December 10, 1887, Vorce was tracked north to a dugout on the Lyman H. Cole Ranch, a sprawling cattle ranch in today’s Morgan County. The dugout was surrounded as darkness fell. When confronted, Frank Hollingsworth and Vorce fired at each other but neither man was hit. Moments later, 2 shots rang out from the north side of the dugout where Gabe Hollingsworth was hit by two rifle rounds to the chest and died on the spot. Frank retrieved his brother’s body and headed back to Deer Trail to wire for more men and then to take Gabe’s body to Denver. Sheriff Fred Cramer again sent reinforcements, this time led by Chivington, but when they arrived they found Vorce had again escaped. After trailing him for another week, on December 18, 1887 Vorce was tracked down to the Robinson sheep ranch a few miles west of Deer Trail, and was again surrounded in a dugout. After a threat to use dynamite resulted in Vorce firing at deputies, a fire was set next to the dugout. After an hour, Vorce surrendered and was arrested by Chivington. On April 25, 1888, Vorce was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 14 years in prison for killing Deputy Gabriel B. Hollingsworth.
Gabe had no wife or children. His brother Frank sent his body by train back to the Hollingsworth family in Browning (Schuyler County), Illinois. Descendants of Gabe’s siblings still reside in Colorado and Illinois.
Vorce was a well-known local outlaw and a Confederate Army veteran. He had escaped from the Arapahoe County Jail in May of 1887, where he was serving a sentence for horse stealing and assault. For six months he was reported to be terrorizing the residents near the towns of Deer Trail, Byers and Agate. On December 7, 1887 Vorce was confronted in the town of Deer Trail and in an exchange of gunfire wounded Deputy Amos Cantley in the arm. Other deputies arrived by train from Denver led by Undersheriff Frank Hollingsworth and Deputy John Chivington (of Sand Creek Massacre infamy), but Vorce escaped. Most of the deputies returned to Denver, but Frank Hollingsworth, his brother Gabe and several other men continued the pursuit.
On December 10, 1887, Vorce was tracked north to a dugout on the Lyman H. Cole Ranch, a sprawling cattle ranch in today’s Morgan County. The dugout was surrounded as darkness fell. When confronted, Frank Hollingsworth and Vorce fired at each other but neither man was hit. Moments later, 2 shots rang out from the north side of the dugout where Gabe Hollingsworth was hit by two rifle rounds to the chest and died on the spot. Frank retrieved his brother’s body and headed back to Deer Trail to wire for more men and then to take Gabe’s body to Denver. Sheriff Fred Cramer again sent reinforcements, this time led by Chivington, but when they arrived they found Vorce had again escaped. After trailing him for another week, on December 18, 1887 Vorce was tracked down to the Robinson sheep ranch a few miles west of Deer Trail, and was again surrounded in a dugout. After a threat to use dynamite resulted in Vorce firing at deputies, a fire was set next to the dugout. After an hour, Vorce surrendered and was arrested by Chivington. On April 25, 1888, Vorce was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 14 years in prison for killing Deputy Gabriel B. Hollingsworth.
Gabe had no wife or children. His brother Frank sent his body by train back to the Hollingsworth family in Browning (Schuyler County), Illinois. Descendants of Gabe’s siblings still reside in Colorado and Illinois.