Roll of Honor
Glenn Lafayette Varnell
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
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Glenn Lafayette Varnell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Special Agent Glenn Lafayette Varnell is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Glenn Lafayette Varnell's cause is highlighted.
How Glenn Lafayette Varnell Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 15 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Glenn Lafayette Varnell is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Glenn Lafayette Varnell was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
17 officers from Southern Railway Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
