Delma Devon Adams
Police Officer

Delma Devon Adams

Raleigh Police Department — Raleigh, NC
Felonious
End of Watch February 3, 1980
Age 33
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge 136
The Vigil Panel 122 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Jimmy Adams was shot and killed while making a DUI arrest. Officer Adams had put the female suspect in the rear of the police car. As Officer Adams sat in the driver's seat near the Raleigh Police Department, the suspect produced a handgun and shot him in the back of the head through the patrol car's cage. The suspect, 29, was sentenced to life. She died in prison in August 2025. Officer Adams had served with the Raleigh Police Department for 13 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-161A7811
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.
Police Officer Adams gave the Raleigh Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Raleigh community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Adams.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Raleigh, Wake County, NC
Platform Identity rpd.wake.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 3, 1980
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 33
Badge Number 136
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Police Officer Delma Devon Adams 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 Raleigh Police Department, 4 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 44.4% of this agency's fallen.

Raleigh Police Department
4
of 9 officers
44.4% 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. Delma Devon Adams's cause is highlighted.

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

How Delma Devon Adams Compares

Age at Death
33
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
13
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Delma Devon Adams is highlighted in Feb.

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. Delma Devon Adams was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location