Allen H. Finch

Jackson County Sheriff's Office — Marianna, FL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch July 4, 1963

Age 42

The Vigil Panel 98 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 8

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Allen Finch and Deputy Sheriff Aaron Creel were Shot and killed by a prisoner in Jackson County Hospital. The suspect, under a life sentence for robbing a service station in Marianna, set fire to a mattress in his cell. He and three other prisoners were taken to the hospital for minor burns. Deputy Finch escorted the inmate to the restroom where he gained control of Deputy Finch's weapon and then fatally shot him. He then walked to a nearby room and shot Deputy Creel twice in the head as he was guarding the other prisoners. He then shot and killed an innocent bystander. The inmate walked out of the hospital and forced a couple to drive him away in their car. He released his hostages near Donalsonville, Georgia, but kept their car. Later in the day the inmate was located and chased by two Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents near Smithville. They cornered him near a school where he jumped out and grabbed a 14-year-old boy. With a gun to the boy's head, he forced the agents to surrender their weapons. He then took the boy, the agents' weapon, and their car. The suspect drove a few miles away, stopped at a house and shot through the front door when the homeowner refused to open it. He then fled on foot with the boy to a nearby pecan grove as Georgia state troopers arrived on the scene. One trooper was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire. Another trooper, 200 yards away, shot the suspect through the chest with a .30-.30 rifle. He fell to his knees still holding his gun, pointed at the boy's head. The boy quickly picked up another gun that the suspect had dropped and shot him several times. Deputy Finch was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-D23FB1E6
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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. Allen 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.
Deputy Sheriff Finch served with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Marianna community, 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 Jackson County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Marianna, Jackson County, FL

Platform Identity jcso.jackson.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 4, 1963

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Allen H. Finch served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Allen H. Finch is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Jackson County Sheriff's Office, 8 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 88.9% of this agency's fallen.

Jackson County Sheriff's Office

of 9 officers

88.9% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious