Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Keith Houts succumbed to a gunshot wound inflicted two days earlier while making a traffic stop on North Decatur Street, just a few blocks from police headquarters, at 12:45 pm.
After shooting Officer Houts in the head, the killer shot him several times in the chest as he lay on the ground, but the shots were all stopped by his vest.
Officer Houts was transported to Jackson Hospital where he remained in critical condition until succumbing to his wounds.
The killer fled the area and was captured in McDonough, Georgia, by members of the United States Marshals Service. He was immediately extradited back to Montgomery and charged with capital murder. He was subsequently sentenced to death.
Officer Houts was a United States Army Reserves veteran of the War on Terrorism and had served with the Montgomery Police Department for two years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, parents, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-1DEBD740- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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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.
Officer Houts gave the Montgomery Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Montgomery community. Thank you 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
Keith Edwin Houts served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer Keith Edwin Houts 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Montgomery Police Dept., 16 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Keith Edwin Houts's cause is highlighted.
How Keith Edwin Houts Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to death
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Keith Edwin Houts is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Keith Edwin Houts was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Montgomery Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
