Casey Ryan Harmon
Agency patch
Detention Officer

Casey Ryan Harmon

Felonious
End of Watch March 2, 1998
Age 20
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 144 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Jailer Casey Ryan Harmon was shot and killed by a 16-year-old detainee who was about to be released for a shoplifting charge at the Lee County Juvenile Detention Center at 454 Commerce Street in Tupelo. The juvenile was between two locked doors when Deputy Harmon opened one of the doors in anticipation of the stepfather's arrival. After he turned his back, the subject shot him in the back of the head once with a small handgun he had managed to conceal in his shoe. The subject then took Deputy Harmon's keys and released another juvenile prisoner, and took Deputy Harmon's weapon, which was kept in a lock box while he was on duty. The two subjects then left the facility and called another juvenile to come to pick them up. They were later stopped in a nearby county and taken into custody. The subject was sentenced to life plus 75 years. Deputy Harmon had served with Lee County Sheriff's Department for three months and had been with a neighboring agency as a part-time patrol deputy for one year. He is survived by his wife, parents, and two brothers. In 2021, his brother became the Chief of Police of the Houston Police Department in Mississippi.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, parents, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-C665BA30
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
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.
Detention Officer Harmon gave the Lee County Sheriff's Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tupelo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detention Officer Harmon.

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

Agency

Location Tupelo, MS
Platform Identity lcso.lee.ms.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 2, 1998
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 20
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun
Offender prisoner custody

Detention Officer Casey Ryan Harmon 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 MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 15.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Lee County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Lee County Sheriff's Department
2
of 3 officers
66.7% Felonious
MS — Statewide
242
of 349 officers
69.3% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Casey Ryan Harmon's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Casey Ryan Harmon Compares

Age at End of Watch
20
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

prisoner custody

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Casey Ryan Harmon is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Casey Ryan Harmon was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Lee County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.