St. John, IN – Officers in St. John are remembering two fallen officers today.
On this day 53 years ago, St. John Town Marshal James E. Larimer and Indiana State Police Trooper John J. Streu tragically lost their lives near Kolling School in St. John, Indiana.
The incident unfolded in the early morning of February 20, 1971, when Marshal Larimer, a dedicated law enforcement officer since 1963, responded to a report of a suspicious car parked near the school.
Alongside Trooper Streu, who arrived as backup, they approached the vehicle with two sleeping occupants, Lonnie David Williams and John Robert Lee. In a sudden turn of events, Lee shot Marshal Larimer, and Williams, after obtaining Trooper Streu’s revolver, fatally wounded Streu. The confrontation resulted in both officers’ deaths, despite the quick arrival of additional state troopers.
Williams and Lee were subsequently convicted of first-degree murder and received life sentences. The community mourns this tragic anniversary, remembering the bravery and sacrifice of Marshal Larimer and Trooper Streu.
