Donald Ray Hayes

Marion County Sheriff's Dept. — Mullins, SC

Felonious

End of Watch May 3, 1987

Age 41

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

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: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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

Department Marion County Sheriff's Dept.

Location Mullins, SC

Platform Identity mcso.marion.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 3, 1987

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge

Offender Sentenced to life

Deputy Sheriff Donald Ray Hayes is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Marion County Sheriff's Dept., 2 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Marion County Sheriff's Dept.

of 5 officers

40% Felonious

SC — Statewide

271

of 438 officers

61.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious