Larkin V. Pettit
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Larkin V. Pettit

Felonious
End of Watch March 8, 1981
Age 37
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 124 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Pettit was shot and killed after responding to a domestic dispute.

Survivors

Deputy Pettit had served with the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department for five years and was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-6C200A48
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 Pettit gave the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hernando community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Pettit.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Hernando, DeSoto County, MS
Platform Identity dcso.desoto.ms.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 8, 1981
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy Sheriff Larkin V. Pettit 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 MS, 243 of 350 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this state's fallen. That is 69.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At DeSoto County Sheriff's Office, 7 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70% of this agency's fallen.

DeSoto County Sheriff's Office
7
of 10 officers
70% Felonious
MS — Statewide
243
of 350 officers
69.4% 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. Larkin V. Pettit's cause is highlighted.

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

How Larkin V. Pettit Compares

Age at Death
37
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Larkin V. Pettit is highlighted in Mar.

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. Larkin V. Pettit was killed by gun.

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