Roll of Honor

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Sheriff

Charles Vernon McGriff

Story County Sheriff's Department — Nevada, IA

Felonious

End of Watch October 20, 1941

Age 59

Tour of Duty 24 yrs

Badge 85-1

The Vigil Panel 78 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff McGriff was shot and killed at 8 p.m. as he and a group of law enforcement officers, including several deputies attempted to arrest an escaped mental patient. The armed suspect had returned to his home and his family wanted him removed. During the shootout a deputy was injured and both the suspect and Sheriff McGriff were killed. Sheriff McGriff had served in law enforcement for 24 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four adult children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-4A0ED2A1
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

24 years. You could have gone home.
Sheriff McGriff gave the Story County Sheriff's Department 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Nevada community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff McGriff.

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

Agency

Department Story County Sheriff's Department

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Nevada, Story County, IA

Platform Identity scso.story.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 20, 1941

Tour of Duty 24 yrs

Age 59

Badge Number 85-1

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Sheriff Charles Vernon McGriff 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 57.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Story County Sheriff's Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles Vernon McGriff's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Charles Vernon McGriff Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Vernon McGriff is highlighted in Oct.

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. Charles Vernon McGriff 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

0 officers from Story County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.