Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Henry Heard was shot and killed as he, his partner, and a civilian volunteer went to investigate a suspected bootlegger. The civilian, who asserted that the suspect was selling alcohol to his brother, volunteered to attempt to buy whiskey so that the officers could arrest the suspect for bootlegging. Officer Heard went with the civilian in plain clothes to the back door of the house while his partner waited by the front door. When the suspect answered the back door, he and Officer Heard exchanged shots. Officer Heard was killed instantly, and the suspect was wounded. Officer Heard's partner ran towards the back of the home upon hearing the shots, but the suspect managed to escape. He was later captured and charged with the murder of Officer Heard. He confessed to the killing, saying that he had mistaken Officer Heard for one of a group of men who had attacked him earlier in the day and was sentenced to life in prison. His half-brother, James Heard, was also shot and killed in the line of duty on September 24, 1906, while serving as a Fulton County Office of Inspector of Roads and Bridges in Georgia.
Survivors
Officer Heard was survived by his wife, an infant son, his parents, four sisters, two half-sisters, and four brothers, one of whom served as a Dora police sergeant.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-862BD1FB- 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.
Police Officer Heard served with the Dora Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Dora community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Heard.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Henry H. Heard 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Henry H. Heard's cause is highlighted.
How Henry H. Heard Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry H. Heard is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry H. Heard was killed by gun; unknown type.