Falls man honored 30 years after his death

Roseau Deputy Richard Magnuson killed by gunman in 1978

Nearly 30 years after his death, a local man is being recognized for his service as a law officer.
Richard K. Magnuson was serving as a Roseau County deputy sheriff on Aug. 2, 1978 — just a few days before his 21st birthday — when he was killed by Greg McMaster, who had killed three people in Canada and was attempting to escape.
On June 21, Magnuson’s parents, John and Margaret Magnuson of International Falls, attended a dedication ceremony at the Roseau Memorial Park, where a monument was dedicated to Roseau County emergency service members killed in the line of duty.
Margaret Magnuson said that while the dedication of the monument that bears her son’s name was sad, it was also pleasing that people remember her son’s sacrifice. She noted that all of her children except one were able to attend the dedication.
“It’s good to know he won’t be forgotten,” she said, noting that Richard was born on her birthday.
John noted that his son had been assigned to Roseau County Sheriff’s Department shortly after becoming a law officer, and had a promising future in law enforcement that was cut short.
Margaret noted that she once asked her son why he wanted to go into law enforcement. His answer, she said, didn’t diminish her concerns, but showed his reasoning: “He said, ‘Somebody’s got to help straighten out this world,’” recalled Margaret.
In addition to Richard Magnuson’s name on the monument, the names of Terry L. Pearson and Robert H. Lobdell are also included.
Pearson, an experienced emergency medical technician, was transporting an elderly patient in an ambulance when he was killed in a collision Jan. 5, 2005.
Lobdell, a Border Patrol agent, was 30 when he was killed Dec. 25, 1928, by a gunman attempting to avoid arrest.