Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Lonnie Freeman was assaulted and strangulated by juvenile inmates at the Richmond City Jail.
The inmates attacked him during an escape attempt, tied him up and stuffed a cloth into his mouth. The cloth prevented him from breathing and he suffocated. The escape attempt was thwarted when another sheriff's deputy saw the juveniles outside of their cellblock and sounded an alarm.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-859E53EE- 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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Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. Lonnie is one person.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Freeman served with the Richmond Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Richmond community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Freeman.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Lonnie Lewis Freeman served in the the United States military (1972â1978) before joining law enforcement.
Deputy Sheriff Lonnie Lewis Freeman 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 VA, 394 of 656 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.1% of this state's fallen. That is 60.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Richmond Sheriff's Office, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lonnie Lewis Freeman's cause is highlighted.
How Lonnie Lewis Freeman Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lonnie Lewis Freeman is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Lonnie Lewis Freeman was killed by person.
Incident Location
Military Service
Lonnie Lewis Freeman served in the United States military (1972–1978) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Lonnie Lewis Freeman’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 Richmond Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
