Calvin Donald Cherry
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Calvin Donald Cherry

Felonious
End of Watch August 2, 1979
Age 25
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 121 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Calvin Cherry was shot and killed while searching a home for an inmate who escaped from the Bertie County Jail the previous day. Officers had received information that the escapee was in one of three locations of a public housing complex in Lewiston. After searching one of the locations at 5:30 pm the officers were about to leave when Deputy Cherry decided to take one more look. Deputy Cherry was shot in the chest by the subject when he pulled open the curtain to a shower he was hiding in. The man was arrested approximately 50 yards from the house after an all night search. The 23-year-old subject was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on February 5th, 1980. He was denied parole in 2014. Deputy Cherry had served with the Bertie County Sheriff's Office for five years.

Survivors

Survivor of Trooper Calvin Taylor

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-26519E56
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Cherry gave the Bertie County Sheriff's Office 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Windsor community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Cherry.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Windsor, Bertie County, NC
Platform Identity bcso.bertie.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 2, 1979
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy Sheriff Calvin Donald Cherry 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 97,772 officers honored here.

In NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 58 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Bertie County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Bertie County Sheriff's Office
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
NC — Statewide
385
of 664 officers
58% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Calvin Donald Cherry's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Calvin Donald Cherry Compares

Age at Death
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Calvin Donald Cherry is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Calvin Donald Cherry was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Bertie County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.