Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper Hurfu Duckworth was shot and killed after responding to a complaint at Marco Courts motel on Highway 11 South, near McInnis Loop, just inside the Hattiesburg city limits at 7:50 pm. The subject of the complaint was a campaign worker and had an argument with another worker after becoming drunk. The man displayed a firearm during the argument prompting the other worker to call the campaign headquarters. The campaign headquarters, in turn, requested that Trooper Duckworth respond to the scene because the subject was a distant cousin of his. Upon arriving at the motel cabin the subject demanded Trooper Duckworth remove his gunbelt and gun. When Trooper Duckworth refused the man shot him in the back. Trooper Duckworth's partner drove him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The man was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on November 23rd, 1959. One year later the verdict was overturned for insanity reasons and he was committed to a state mental hospital. In 1973 he was declared sane and ordered to stand trial for murder a second time. On May 24th, 1973, his trial resulted in a hung jury. A mistrial was declared and he was released. Trooper Duckworth was a U.S. Air Force veteran of WWII. He had served with the Mississippi Highway Patrol for 12 years and was assigned to Troop J.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, mother, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-56443CD5- 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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Hurfu is one person.
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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.
Trooper Duckworth gave the Mississippi Department of Public Safety 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi, and 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
Hurfu L. Duckworth served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.
Trooper Hurfu L. Duckworth 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 97,759 officers honored here.
In MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 69.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol, 10 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Hurfu L. Duckworth's cause is highlighted.
How Hurfu L. Duckworth Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Hurfu L. Duckworth is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Hurfu L. Duckworth was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Military Service
Hurfu L. Duckworth served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.
Visit Hurfu L. Duckworth’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
