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Correctional Officer

Buddy Ray Herron

Oregon Department of Corrections — Salem, OR

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 29, 2011

Age 42

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 161 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 10

Incident

Correctional Officer Buddy Herron was assaulted and fatally stabbed along Highway 11, two miles north of Pendleton, shortly after 11:00 pm.

It is believed that he had stopped to assist at the scene of a single-car accident while en route to begin his shift at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution. At some point after stopping, he was stabbed by the driver, who then stole Officer Herron's pickup truck. Despite his wound, Officer Herron was able to call 911. Responding units transferred him to St. Anthony's Hospital where he succumbed to his wound shortly after midnight.

The 21-year-old suspect was arrested in the vehicle early the next morning following a vehicle pursuit. He has been charged with parole violations and murder. It was determined that the vehicle he had originally crashed was stolen and had been involved in a burglary earlier in the evening.

On July 30, 2013, the suspect was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to life.

Officer Herron had served with the Oregon Department of Corrections for four years and had previously served with the Arizona Department of Corrections. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserve and also served as a volunteer firefighter.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, four children, and one granddaughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OR-14DC7206
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. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Buddy 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.
Correctional Officer Herron gave the Oregon Department of Corrections 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oregon. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Oregon Department of Corrections

Type Corrections

Location Salem, OR

Platform Identity odcorr.marion.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 29, 2011

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Military Service

Buddy Ray Herron served in the U.S. Navy (1988â1988) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Correctional Officer Buddy Ray Herron 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 58.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Oregon Department of Corrections, 10 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 90.9% of this agency's fallen.

Oregon Department of Corrections

of 11 officers

90.9% Felonious

OR — Statewide

115

of 197 officers

58.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious