James H. Nerison, a 30-year-old police officer, tragically lost his life on January 3, 1933, in Alhambra, California. Officer Nerison was killed in the line of duty while responding to a robbery at the Alhambra Theater, located at the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and Main Street. During the incident, Nerison and three other officers attempted to arrest a man who was trying to blow the theater's safe.
The suspect fled through a side door where his accomplice was waiting, and they opened fire, fatally wounding Officer Nerison. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War I and had served with the Alhambra Police Department for four years. He left behind a wife and three children.
The murder of Officer Nerison remained a cold case for many years. Initially, the case was left open because the murder weapon was never found, and the identity of the killer was not confirmed. However, in 2010, the Alhambra Police Department officially closed the case. The breakthrough came when the daughter of the late Captain Marion Thompson, who was also present at the scene of the robbery, revealed that her father had confessed to shooting and killing the man responsible for Nerison's death during a bank robbery in El Monte three years later. This new information led to the closure of the case, and Captain Thompson was honored for his role in solving the murder almost 80 years after the fact.
The investigation into Officer Nerison's death highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and the long-lasting impact of such tragedies on their families and communities. Despite the passage of time, the memory of Officer Nerison's bravery and sacrifice continues to be honored by the Alhambra Police Department and the community he served.
