Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Myron Deckard was shot and killed with his own weapon by a prisoner he was transporting to the jail in Danville.
Sergeant Deckard, the agency's warrant officer, had picked the man up from the Montgomery County Jail in Hillsboro, where he had been misdemeanor warrants. He was transporting him back to Vermilion County when the prisoner freed himself and reached over the back seat of the squad car. The prisoner had been restrained in handcuffs attached to a restraining belt but was able to free one hand. He forced Sergeant Deckard to drive off the side of I-72 near the Cisco exit in Macon County, and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, the prisoner gained control of Sergeant Deckard's handgun and shot him twice, killing him. Sergeant Deckard's patrol car was not equipped with a cage.
After the incident, the man hitchhiked to a nearby sheriff's office and turned himself in, telling them he had just killed a deputy. A search ensued, and officers located Sergeant Deckard still in his vehicle.
In November 2002, the suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On January 11th, 2003, the outgoing governor granted clemency to all 167 Illinois death row inmates as one of his last acts in office. The inmate's sentence was commuted to life without parole.
In 1983, Sergeant Deckard was shot twice and wounded by a suspect he was attempting to arrest.
Sergeant Deckard had served with the Vermilion County Sheriff's Department for 32 years and had been the warrant officer for 15 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-E6C1E3F9- 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
32 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Deckard gave the Vermilion County Sheriff's Office 32 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Danville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Deckard.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Myron G. Deckard 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Vermilion County Sheriff's Office, 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. Myron G. Deckard's cause is highlighted.
How Myron G. Deckard Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Myron G. Deckard is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Myron G. Deckard was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Vermilion County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
