Roll of Honor
Bert Donaldson
Incident
Chief Investigator Bert Donaldson was shot and killed from ambush after being lured into a hotel room while conducting an investigation into organized crime.
As he entered the hotel room with one of the subjects of the investigation, he was shot twice by a second suspect that was hiding in a closet with a shotgun. The two suspects then locked the hotel room door and fled. Chief Investigator Donaldson's body was found by hotel staff the following morning.
In 1927, a former police officer confessed to being involved in Chief Investigator Donaldson's killing, and nine other suspects were arrested and charged with murder. Only one suspect was convicted of Chief Investigator Donaldson's murder and sentenced to death. A year later he received a new trial and was acquitted. Charges against the others were dismissed.
Chief Investigator Donaldson had served in law enforcement for more than 4 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and is buried in Casey's Hill Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia.
In Our Keeping
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- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief Investigator Donaldson gave the Fulton County Office of the Solicitor General 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief Investigator Donaldson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief Investigator Bert Donaldson is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bert Donaldson's cause is highlighted.
How Bert Donaldson Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Bert Donaldson is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Bert Donaldson was killed by shotgun.