Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Hal Croft and a Raiford Prison employee assisting him were shot and killed in Raiford while serving an arrest warrant on a man for firing a shotgun into an occupied dwelling. The subject opened fire with a shotgun as they stepped onto his front porch. The man then took Deputy Croft's service revolver and shot himself in the chest. He recovered from his wounds and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The man, 36, was convicted of both murders and sentenced to death. In 1964 he was tried again and sentenced to two life terms. On May 16, 1972, he, a prison guard, and a girlfriend, were charged with conspiracy to commit extortion when they attempted to blackmail the Union County Sheriff in an effort to get a parole. The girl tried to coax the sheriff into a lewd situation while the guard, hiding nearby, would film it. The sheriff saw through it and it backfired on the three. In 1976 his appeal for a new trial was denied. Deputy Croft had served with the Union County Sheriff's Office for only eight months and had previously served with the Florida Highway Patrol.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-E380068E- 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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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Croft served with the Union County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Lake Butler community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Croft.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Hal P. Croft 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Union County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Hal P. Croft's cause is highlighted.
How Hal P. Croft Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Hal P. Croft is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Hal P. Croft was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Union County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
