Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Leonard Floyd, Sheriff E.M. Boyles, and Chief Deputy Sheriff Washington Bennett of the Marshall County Sheriff's Department were shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant at a farmhouse on a man, 40, for assault with intent to kill a neighbor. As the three other deputies and another deputy reached the suspect's farmhouse, he came out with a rifle, firing rapidly at the officers as they were getting out of their car. All four returned fire, killing the man. As the man fell, his 16-year-old son grabbed the rifle. Firing rapidly from the hip, he brought down all four lawmen. Chief Floyd was shot in the back, never drawing his weapon. Sheriff Boyles was shot in his right hand, shattering the butt of of his gun and then fatally struck in his side, killing him instantly. Chief Deputy Bennett shot through the left temple, the bullet exiting his right jaw, managed to get the seriously wounded deputy into the car, and drove into Boaz, sounding the alarm. Chief Deputy Bennett died in a hospital three hours later. The boy and two men in the home were arrested and charged with three counts of murder. The wounded deputy said shots not only came from the youth, but also from two windows. Yet charges against the two men were dropped. Only the youth was tried for murder. Over the next two years, four trials ended with hung juries. Just as the fifth trial was about to begin, a plea bargain resulted in a 10-year sentence. He was paroled on December 24, 1957. Chief Lloyd was a United States WWII veteran and had served as the Chief of Police with the Boaz Police Department for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-947C1A53- 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 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.
Chief of Police Floyd gave the Boaz Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Boaz community, and 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
Leonard J. Floyd served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Chief of Police Leonard J. Floyd 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 97,759 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 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Boaz Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Leonard J. Floyd's cause is highlighted.
How Leonard J. Floyd Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Leonard J. Floyd is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Leonard J. Floyd was killed by rifle.
Military Service
Leonard J. Floyd served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Visit Leonard J. Floyd’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Boaz Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
