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Trooper

Leo Whitt

Virginia State Police — North Chesterfield, VA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch April 12, 1985

Age 48

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Badge 751

The Vigil Panel 286 · Column 4 · Line 1 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 51

Incident

Trooper Leo Whitt was shot and killed during a traffic stop at 9:45 p.m. on I-95 in Prince George County, approximately 10 miles south of Petersburg. The suspect had escaped from a Maryland prison-type drug treatment facility earlier that day. He had been committed to the facility after being convicted of 10 felony convictions. He stole a car and then drove to his stepfather's restaurant, where he assaulted and robbed him. He then proceeded down I-95, heading towards Florida, picking up a hitchhiker. Shortly thereafter, he was pulled over for a routine traffic stop by Trooper Whitt. The suspect shot Trooper Whitt twice, once in the neck and then between the eyes. He later bragged to his companion that he got away with killing a police officer. The suspect was apprehended and convicted of Trooper Whitt's murder. He was executed in 1996. Trooper Whitt had served with the Virginia State Police for over 20 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Leo is one person.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Trooper Whitt gave the Virginia State Police 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Whitt.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Virginia State Police

Type State Police

Location North Chesterfield, VA

Platform Identity vsp.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 12, 1985

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 48

Badge Number 751

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Leo Whitt served in the U.S. Army (1959â1962) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Leo is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1985, 99 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 52nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Leo was 48. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Leo had served 20 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded