Pliny D. Wells

Allegheny County Sheriff's Office — Pittsburgh, PA

Felonious

End of Watch June 20, 1838

Tour of Duty

The Vigil Panel 1 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Pliny Wells was stabbed to death as he and another deputy tried to execute an arrest warrant in Robinson Township.

He and another deputy became separated as they approached the suspect's farm. While approaching the farm Deputy Wells spotted the subject in a cornfield and attempted to arrest him. During the arrest, a scuffle ensued and Deputy Wells was stabbed multiple times in his chest. Deputy Wells' partner managed to arrest the subject and was attempting to walk the prisoner to jail in Pittsburgh when the prisoner attacked him and managed to escape.

It is unknown whether the prisoner was ever recaptured or tried.

Deputy Sheriff Wells was deputized to assist the sheriff's office in the arrest after local constables refused to serve the warrant due to the subject's threats.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-25471953
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

188 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Wells served with the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Pittsburgh community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Allegheny County Sheriff's Office

Location Pittsburgh, PA

Platform Identity acso.allegheny.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1838

Tour of Duty

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Deputy Sheriff Pliny D. Wells is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Allegheny County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious