Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief Joseph Kelly succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day while attempting to search a car he had stopped. The suspect fled the scene after the shooting.
Chief Kelly drove himself to the home of a local doctor where he collapsed. He was transported to a hospital in Fayetteville where he died the following day.
The suspect was captured several days later in Bangor, Maine. He was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. On December 12, 1929, he escaped from the Caledonia Prison Farm in Halifax County. He was recaptured in Ohio in November of 1935 and returned to prison. He was paroled October 20, 1940.
Chief Kelly was survived by his wife.
Survivors
Chief Kelly was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-8D70F5C0- 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.
Chief of Police Kelly served with the Southern Pines Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Southern Pines community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Kelly.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Joseph C. Kelly 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 97,784 officers honored here.
In NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 58 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Southern Pines Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph C. Kelly's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph C. Kelly Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph C. Kelly is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph C. Kelly was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Southern Pines Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
