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Special Agent

Glenn Lafayette Varnell

Southern Railway Police Department — Washington, DC

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch August 25, 1929

Age 32

The Vigil Panel 58 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 17

Incident

Location: Alabama Weapon: Handgun Offender: Sentenced to 15 years

Special Agent Glenn Varnell was shot and killed when he attempted to arrest a man and a juvenile boy, ages 20 and 17, who were trespassing on a train in the area of 24th Street and Railroad Avenue in the downtown rail yards at Birmingham, Alabama.

Special Agent Varnell had taken the two prisoners to a nearby dispatcher's office. As he prepared to search the two, one pulled out a pistol and shot Special Agent Varnell in the abdomen. Despite the wound, he was able to return fire and wounded the man. Special Agent Varnell was taken to St. Vincent Hospital, where he died two hours after the shooting.

Both subjects were taken into custody a short time later and confessed to the shooting. Both were charged with murder. One was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years.

Special Agent Varnell was a United States WWI Army veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three-year-old son, and infant daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RR-6C21C21C
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. Glenn 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.
Special Agent Varnell served with the Southern Railway Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Washington 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

Department Southern Railway Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity srpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 25, 1929

Age 32

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Glenn Lafayette Varnell served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Special Agent Glenn Lafayette Varnell 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 53.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Southern Railway Police Department, 17 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 94.4% of this agency's fallen.

Southern Railway Police Department

of 18 officers

94.4% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious