Earl Sholes
Agency patch
Undersheriff

Earl Sholes

Felonious
End of Watch May 25, 1950
Age 54
The Vigil Panel 86 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Undersheriff Sholes and Deputy Sheriff Dan Haryford where shot and killed after they were attacked by two youth offenders they were transporting to stand trial. While in route the suspects attacked the officers, took their guns and killed them. Both suspects were found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, but they were both eventually paroled.

Survivors

Undersheriff Sholes was survived by his wife, daughter and four grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-1F1549F9
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Earl. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Undersheriff Sholes served with the Shasta County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Redding community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Undersheriff Sholes.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Redding, Shasta County, CA
Platform Identity scso.shasta.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 25, 1950
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

Undersheriff Earl Sholes 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 Shasta County Sheriff's Department, 5 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Shasta County Sheriff's Department
5
of 6 officers
83.3% 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. Earl Sholes's cause is highlighted.

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

How Earl Sholes Compares

Age at Death
54
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Earl Sholes is highlighted in May.

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. Earl Sholes was killed by officer's handgun.

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