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Trooper First Class

Thomas Dean Hercules

West Virginia State Police — South Charleston, WV

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 12, 1977

Age 42

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

The Vigil Panel 258 · Column 4 · Line 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 41

Incident

Trooper Thomas Hercules and Trooper Charles Johnson were shot and killed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, while serving an arrest warrant on a burglary suspect. After the initial arrest the officers took the suspect to his home to allow him to collect some personal belongings. Trooper Hercules waited in the patrol car as Trooper Johnson took him inside. While inside the suspect was able to gain control of Trooper Johnson's service weapon and shot him to death. The man then ran outside and exchanged shots with Trooper Hercules. The suspect then stole the patrol car and fled. He committed suicide three days later as officers closed in on his location. Trooper Hercules was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War and had served with the West Virginia State Police for 19 years. He was survived by his wife and two sons. A section of US Highway 522 south of Berkeley Springs was renamed in honor of Trooper Hercules and Trooper Johnson.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Thomas is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper First Class Hercules gave the West Virginia State Police 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of West Virginia, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department West Virginia State Police

Type State Police

Location South Charleston, Kanawha County, WV

Platform Identity wvsp.wv.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 12, 1977

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Thomas Dean Hercules served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1954â1957) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas 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 1977, 128 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 36th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Thomas was 42. 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. Thomas had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded