Henry Buford Graves
Agency patch
Rural Police Officer

Henry Buford Graves

Felonious
End of Watch July 14, 1924
Age 46
The Vigil Panel 47 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Graves was killed when he fell from a vehicle that had sped away from a checkpoint near the center of Pageland.

Officer Graves was assisting two Pageland officers at the checkpoint, which had been setup as a result of an earlier incident where a vehicle drove through town and the occupants were discharging a firearm.

A vehicle that had already gone through the checkpoint drove through again and stopped for a brief moment. The Pageland police chief and Officer Graves stepped on the running board but stepped back off once they recognized the occupants. As Officer Graves then stepped back onto the running board the driver of the vehicle sped away with his lights off at a high rate of speed. Officer Graves was able to hold on for about three blocks before he was either assaulted and pushed or fell from the vehicle.

The three occupants of the vehicle were arrested and charged with murder but were found not guilty at trial.

Officer Graves was survived by his wife and eight children.

Survivors

Officer Graves was survived by his wife and eight children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-6262B07F
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Rural Police Officer Graves served with the Chesterfield County Rural Police Commission.
Thank you for your service to the Chesterfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Rural Police Officer Graves.

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

Agency

Location Chesterfield, SC
Platform Identity ccrpcpd.chesterfield.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 14, 1924
Age 46
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Vehicular assault
Weapon Automobile
Offender Acquitted of murder

Rural Police Officer Henry Buford Graves 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 SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Chesterfield County Rural Police Commission
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
SC — Statewide
271
of 438 officers
61.9% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Henry Buford Graves's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Henry Buford Graves Compares

Age at End of Watch
46
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Acquitted of murder

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry Buford Graves is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry Buford Graves was killed by automobile.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518