Billy Melton Stevens

Davidson County Sheriff's Office — Nashville, TN

Veteran → Cardiac

End of Watch May 22, 1966

Age 38

The Vigil Panel 101 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 7

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Billy Stevens suffered a fatal heart attack after struggling with two inmates attempting to escape from the Davidson County Jail. The inmates had attacked guards with a makeshift knife and a mop handle. During the struggle Deputy Stevens was struck in the chest several times with the mop handle and suffered the heart attack. Both suspects were kept in custody in the jail. Deputy Stevens was a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, mother, and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-8BAF418A
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. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Billy 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 Stevens served with the Davidson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville 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 Davidson County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Nashville, TN

Platform Identity dcso.davidson.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 22, 1966

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Weapon Person

Military Service

Billy Melton Stevens served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Billy Melton Stevens is one of 1 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In TN, 37 of 769 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.8% of this state's fallen. That is 4.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Davidson County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 8 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 12.5% of this agency's fallen.

Davidson County Sheriff's Office

of 8 officers

12.5% Cardiac

TN — Statewide

of 769 officers

4.8% Cardiac

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Cardiac