Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Kenneth Royal was shot and killed while responding as a backup officer to a felony car stop. Another officer had just stopped a vehicle that was suspected of being used in an armed robbery minutes earlier, and one of the suspects had fled into the woods. As other officers covered Deputy Royal, he approached the second suspect, who was still in the vehicle. The suspect began to exit the car and then suddenly pulled out a handgun and opened fire, fatally wounding Deputy Royal. Other officers on the scene returned fire and wounded the suspect. The suspect was convicted of armed robbery and first-degree murder and sentenced to death on October 25, 1968. His sentence was later commuted to life. On December 2, 1973, he escaped from San Quentin Prison. Before being captured four days later in Pinole, California, he committed two armed robberies, kidnapped a family of four, and attempted to crash through a police roadblock. He was taken into custody after being shot and wounded by Contra Costa County Deputies. Deputy Royal was survived by his wife and four children. The Kenneth B. Royal Firing Range, located at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, is named in memory of Officer Royal.
Survivors
Deputy Royal was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-122E369E- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Royal served with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Sacramento community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Royal.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Kenneth B. Royal 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 Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, 15 of 22 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 68.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Kenneth B. Royal's cause is highlighted.
How Kenneth B. Royal Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Kenneth B. Royal is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Kenneth B. Royal was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
21 officers from Sacramento County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
