Dennis Randall Wallace
Deputy Sheriff

Dennis Randall Wallace

Felonious
End of Watch November 13, 2016
Age 53
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 166 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Dennis Wallace was shot and killed at Fox Grove Park in Hughson while investigating a suspicious vehicle.

He requested a backup officer after dispatchers alerted him that the vehicle was stolen. When the second deputy arrived, he discovered Deputy Wallace suffering two gunshot wounds to the head. It was quickly determined that he was shot in the head at point-blank range.

The suspect fled the scene in the stolen car before carjacking a second vehicle. The man was taken into custody by members of the Lindsay Police Department later in the day after attempting to steal a woman's purse.

The suspect was found guilty of first-degree murder in March 2021 and sentenced 45 years to life.

Deputy Wallace had served with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department for 20 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-9050DCFC
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

20 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Sheriff Wallace gave the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Modesto community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Wallace.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Modesto, Stanislaus County, CA
Platform Identity scso.stanislaus.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 13, 2016
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Deputy Sheriff Dennis Randall Wallace 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department
4
of 6 officers
66.7% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% 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. Dennis Randall Wallace's cause is highlighted.

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

How Dennis Randall Wallace Compares

Age at Death
53
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
20
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Dennis Randall Wallace is highlighted in Nov.

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. Dennis Randall Wallace was killed by gun; unknown type.

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

Incident Location