Joseph Rigney
Agency patch
Constable

Joseph Rigney

Felonious
End of Watch July 29, 1952
Age 64
The Vigil Panel 88 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Constable Joseph Rigney was shot and killed as he attempted to serve a warrant on a man for resisting an officer.

The 43-year-old subject pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to one to 20 years in prison.

Constable Rigney was survived by his wife and daughter.

Survivors

Constable Rigney was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-857CBD40
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.
Constable Rigney served with the Rome Township Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Rome community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Rigney.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Rome, OH
Platform Identity rtco.franklin.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 29, 1952
Age 64
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun

Constable Joseph Rigney 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Rome Township Constable's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
OH — Statewide
572
of 991 officers
57.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Rigney's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Joseph Rigney Compares

Age at Death
64
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Rigney is highlighted in Jul.

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. Joseph Rigney was killed by shotgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Rome Township Constable's Office are honored on badge.nw.