Bust of sheriff slain in 1938 unveiled at courthouse

VINTON, Iowa (AP) - The Benton County sheriff killed in the line of duty nearly 80 years ago is being memorialized.

A bust of Benton County Sheriff Leland Fry was unveiled Tuesday at the courthouse in Vinton. Cedar Rapids station KCRG reports that the bust will be displayed inside the building until May and then be moved to a pedestal on the lawn outside.

Fry lost his life in 1938 trying to arrest someone who escaped from custody. Organizers say the county didn’t have the money for a memorial project during the Depression years and World War II. His slaying was largely forgotten until little more than a year ago, when a committee formed and raised more than $12,000 in donations.

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Information from: KCRG-TV, http://www.kcrg.com