Douglas Lucian Batey

Clay County Sheriff's Department — Piggott, AR

Felonious

End of Watch April 6, 1972

Age 50

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 110 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Sheriff Doug Batey, Deputy Sheriff Glendal Archer, and Deputy Sheriff Troy Key were shot and killed in McDougal as they attempted to serve a warrant for assault with intent to kill. As they exited their vehicles in the suspect's driveway, the man opened fire with a 12-gauge shotgun. Sheriff Batey and Deputy Archer were killed instantly. Deputy Key succumbed to his wounds 10 days later. A fourth responding officer found the suspect sitting on the tailgate of his truck and arrested him without incident. He was convicted of three counts of first degree murder and sentenced to life. He died in prison March 12th, 1984. Sheriff Batey had served with the Clay County Sheriff's Department for four years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-F5696F46
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 Batey gave the Clay County Sheriff's Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Piggott community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Batey.

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

Agency

Department Clay County Sheriff's Department

Type Other

Location Piggott, Clay County, AR

Platform Identity ccso.clay.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 6, 1972

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Sheriff Douglas Lucian Batey 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 66.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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

Clay County Sheriff's Department

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious