Roll of Honor
Esther LaFayette Lewis
Incident
Deputy Lewis was shot and killed at approximately 6:15 pm as he attempted to take a man into custody for shooting his estranged wife's dog.
As he was arresting the suspect on Highway 15-A near Fayetteville, the man drew a concealed handgun and shot Deputy Lewis four times, and then fled the scene.
The suspect was arrested, convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life on January 19, 1951. He was sent to the Dorothea Dix Mental Hospital in Raleigh, where he escaped a few days later. He was recaptured in Seattle, Washington, by FBI agents on December 23, 1955. He was paroled on February 8, 1982.
Deputy Lewis was a United States Army veteran of World War I.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-7E98C792- 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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Esther is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Lewis served with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Fayetteville community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Esther LaFayette Lewis served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Deputy Sheriff Esther LaFayette Lewis 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 97,759 officers honored here.
In NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 58 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, 11 of 13 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Esther LaFayette Lewis's cause is highlighted.
How Esther LaFayette Lewis Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Esther LaFayette Lewis is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Esther LaFayette Lewis was killed by handgun.
Military Service
Esther LaFayette Lewis served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit Esther LaFayette Lewis’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
12 officers from Cumberland County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
