Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Donald Hayes succumbed to a gunshot wound received the previous day while serving an arrest warrant for simple assault. Deputy Hayes and two other deputies went to the suspect's home to make the arrest. The other two deputies went to the front of the home and Deputy Hayes went to cover the rear of the home because the suspect was known to run from the police. As Deputy Hayes came around the back of the house the suspect leaned out of a window and opened fire with a shotgun from four feet away. The suspect fled the scene but was arrested the following day. The 34-year-old man was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison with no parole. As of 2021 he was in Turbeville Prison.
Survivors
Deputy Hayes was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-0940F3F5- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Hayes served with the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Mullins community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hayes.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Donald Ray Hayes 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 SC, 272 of 441 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Marion County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald Ray Hayes's cause is highlighted.
How Donald Ray Hayes Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald Ray Hayes is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald Ray Hayes was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Marion County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
