Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff James Petray, Sergeant Jackson of the San Francisco Police Department and Officer Lester Dorman of the San Francisco Police Department were shot and killed as they attempted to arrest three suspects in their home. The suspects had kidnapped and brutally attacked two girls in San Francisco and had been tracked to Santa Rosa. As the three officers entered the home of the suspects to arrest them, one suspect opened fire with a revolver and shot all three men. Before he fell dead, Sergeant Jackson was able to shoot and wound one suspect. Deputies surrounded the house and all three suspects were arrested later in the day and brought to the local jail. Five days after the killings, an angry group of approximately 30 men demanded the killers be turned over to them to be hanged. After a standoff the mob finally prevailed and the suspects were dragged from their cells and hung. This was the last lynching to take place in Sonoma County. Sheriff Petray had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife and three children. He is buried at Oak Mound Cemetery in Healdsburg.
Survivors
Sheriff Petray had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-18E3CFA0- 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.
Sheriff Petray gave the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Santa Rosa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Petray.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff James Albert Petray 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Albert Petray's cause is highlighted.
How James Albert Petray Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Albert Petray is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Albert Petray was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Sonoma County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
