Deputy Vaso Mandarich
Died on November 29, 1913
Age 35Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Homicide: Rifle
Deputy Mandarich was shot and killed by a suspect who had already murdered Bingham Marshal William J. Grant, and Salt Lake County deputies George O. Witbeck and Nephi S. Jensen. After killing the three officers in Saratoga Springs on November 21, the suspect backtracked to Bingham and took refuge in the mines. Newly appointed deputies Douglas J. Hulsey, 44, and Manderich, 35, were in the mine attempting to light a fire for the purposes of smoking out the suspect when they were ambushed. After the murders, the suspect successfully eluded capture and fled Utah. Deputy Manderich was married and the father of two children. He is buried in Bingham City Cemetery. His bronze memorial plaque is sponsored by the citizens of Salt Lake County.
Historical research conducted by Salt Lake County Deputy Randy Lish indicates that after fleeing Utah, the suspect was shot to death by Texas Rangers in 1921. In 2003, Salt Lake County District Attorney David C. Yocum signed a memorandum formally closing the investigation into the murders.
I am so proud to be a member of the Utah Peace Officer Association which started the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial. Both are proud members of Utah’s Law Enforcement Community. The UPOA recognizes, each year, 14 (different) fallen officers. If anyone has contact information on relatives I am the keeper of fallen officer relative information. When events come up that honor our fallen officers we reach out to family/relative members when these events occur. I can be reached at blsmith@sandy.Utah.gov.