Clarence Taylor
Agency patch
Sheriff

Clarence Taylor

Owsley County Sheriff's Office — Booneville, KY
Felonious
End of Watch March 27, 1954
Age 40
The Vigil Panel 90 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Robert Hensley were shot and killed while investigating a truck that was stuck in a ditch on the side of a roadway. Three men, two a father and son, were apprehended. Four years later after several postponements and changes of venues they were tried and acquitted.

Survivors

Sheriff Taylor was survived by his wife, two sons, and three daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-8BAC3B21
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.
Sheriff Taylor served with the Owsley County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Booneville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Taylor.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Booneville, Owsley County, KY
Platform Identity ocso.owsley.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 27, 1954
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Sheriff Clarence Taylor 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Owsley County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Owsley County Sheriff's Office
4
of 5 officers
80% Felonious
KY — Statewide
755
of 983 officers
76.8% 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. Clarence Taylor's cause is highlighted.

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

How Clarence Taylor Compares

Age at Death
40
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Clarence Taylor is highlighted in Mar.

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. Clarence Taylor was killed by gun.

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