George V. Darnell
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

George V. Darnell

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch December 7, 1981
Age 60
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Badge WR-8
The Vigil Panel 125 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy George Darnell was shot and killed when he interrupted several suspects stealing fuel at a service facility on U.S. 67 near Monmouth. The suspects were loading fuel into their own tanker truck from the service facility tanks. As Deputy Darnell attempted to arrest the suspects, he was ambushed by one of them and shot several times in the head and chest. The suspect was convicted of Deputy Darnell's murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison. He was released on parole in November 2017. Deputy Darnell was a United States Army veteran of World War II and had served with the Warren County Sheriff's Department for 10 years and the Warren County Sheriff's Auxiliary for seven years. He was survived by his wife and four children. In 2014, a section of Highway 67 near the shooting scene was named in honor of Deputy George Darnell.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-6C288DC6
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. George 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 Darnell gave the Warren County Sheriff's Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Monmouth community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Monmouth, Warren County, IL
Platform Identity wcso.warren.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 1981
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 60
Badge Number WR-8
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

George V. Darnell served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff George V. Darnell 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Warren County Sheriff's Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
IL — Statewide
842
of 1,318 officers
63.9% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George V. Darnell's cause is highlighted.

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

How George V. Darnell Compares

Age at Death
60
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
17
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George V. Darnell is highlighted in Dec.

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. George V. Darnell was killed by gun.

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

Military Service

George V. Darnell served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit George V. Darnell’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Warren County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.