Roll of Honor

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Officer

Henry T. Stephens

Salisbury Police Department — Salisbury, MD

Felonious

End of Watch September 5, 1958

Age 27

Badge 17

The Vigil Panel 94 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Officer Stephens was shot in the back and killed by a check forgery suspect as they were walking inside the police station. The suspect, was captured minutes later when officers found him hiding in high weeds outside the police station. The suspect, 37, was convicted of his murder and sentenced to death on November 19, 1958. He was one of the first inmates to work our legal system through his attorney's to get numerous appeals and new trials at a high cost to the taxpayers for several years. His sentence was commuted to life June 24, 1976.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-CC003601
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Stephens served with the Salisbury Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Salisbury community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Stephens.

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

Agency

Department Salisbury Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Salisbury, Wicomico County, MD

Platform Identity spd.wicomico.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 5, 1958

Age 27

Badge Number 17

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Officer Henry T. Stephens is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,586 officers honored here.

In MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.2 percentage points below the national rate of 53.9%.

Salisbury Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,559

of 32,586 officers

53.9% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Henry T. Stephens's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,559 (53.9%)

Accident

10,094 (31%)

Illness

3,037 (9.3%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

334 (1%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

How Henry T. Stephens Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry T. Stephens is highlighted in Sep.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry T. Stephens was killed by handgun.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909