Michael Judson Riley
Agency patch
Special Deputy Marshal

Michael Judson Riley

Illness
End of Watch September 24, 2020
Age 60
Tour of Duty 37 yrs
The Vigil Panel 173 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Louisiana Incident Date: Not available

Special Deputy Marshal died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 while serving at the Hale-Boggs Federal Building in New Orleans.

Deputy Marshal had served with the United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service for five years and previously served with the New Orleans Police Department for over 32 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Special Deputy Marshal Michael Judson Riley died on September 24, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 60.

He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 8 at United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service.

Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.

Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, four children, three grandchildren, and five siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-E2A3DE4A
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

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Special Deputy Marshal Riley gave the United States Department of Justice 37 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Marshal Riley.

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

Agency

Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 24, 2020
Tour of Duty 37 yrs
Age 60
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

Special Deputy Marshal Michael Judson Riley is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 137 of 1,419 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.7% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 14 of 313 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.5% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
14
of 313 officers
4.5% Illness
DC — Statewide
137
of 1,419 officers
9.7% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Judson Riley's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Michael Judson Riley Compares

Age at End of Watch
60
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
37
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Judson Riley is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285

Incident Location