Roll of Honor

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Trooper

Charles Frank Noble

Washington State Patrol — Olympia, WA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 5, 1972

Age 42

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Badge 382

The Vigil Panel 109 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 33

Incident

Trooper Charles Noble was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle for speeding near Zillah, Washington. Unbeknownst to Trooper Noble, the driver was out of prison on a furlough and had just committed an armed robbery. As Trooper Noble returned to his patrol car, the suspect opened fire with a .357 caliber handgun, striking Trooper Noble in the elbow and knocking him down. The suspect then shot Trooper Noble in the head execution-style. The suspect fled but was turned in by the vehicle's passenger the following morning. The suspect, 25, serving a sentence for a 1970 car theft, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life on March 3, 1973. On November 8, 1980, he escaped from Walla Walla Prison but was quickly recaptured. He was charged with escape. He was to be released in 2031. Trooper Noble was a United States Navy Korean War veteran who served with the Washington State Patrol for 14 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WA-AC2E333C
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 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.
Trooper Noble gave the Washington State Patrol 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Washington, 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 Washington State Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Olympia, WA

Platform Identity whp.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 5, 1972

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Age 42

Badge Number 382

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Charles Frank Noble served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Charles Frank Noble 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 WA, 187 of 340 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55% of this state's fallen. That is 55 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Washington State Patrol, 8 of 34 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 23.5% of this agency's fallen.

Washington State Patrol

of 34 officers

23.5% Felonious

WA — Statewide

187

of 340 officers

55% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious