Roll of Honor
Incident
Town Sergeant John Smith was killed as he attempted to arrest a man who was wanted by Connecticut authorities for being a debtor.
The Connecticut authorities had tracked the man into Rhode Island, where he had taunted and threatened them with a weapon. Rhode Island authorities swore out a warrant for the man on the charge that he threatened the officers, and Town Sergeant Smith and a small posse went to enforce the warrant.
When Town Sergeant Smith approached the wanted man, however, the man attacked him with an ax. The man struck Town Sergeant Smith between the shoulder blades, killing him, and then struck him again in the back of the neck.
The assailant then attacked the posse and fled the scene. He was later arrested at the house of a local resident after he bragged about his crime.
The assailant was tried and convicted of killing Town Sergeant Smith. He was sentenced to death and hanged on December 27, 1833.
Town Sergeant Smith was around 83 years old at the time of his death. He had served as the Town Sergeant of Foster for over 40 years, and also acted as a deputy sheriff.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-RI-9A31F17C- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
194 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Town Sergeant Smith gave the Foster Police Department 40 years.
Thank you for your service to the Foster community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Town Sergeant John Smith 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 RI, 25 of 55 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 45.5% of this state's fallen. That is 8.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Smith's cause is highlighted.
How John Smith Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Smith is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Smith was killed by edged weapon; axe.