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Robert Hayes DeKorte
Agency patch
Patrolman

Robert Hayes DeKorte

Newport News Police Department — Newport News, VA
Veteran → Felonious
United States flag Virginia flag
End of Watch September 23, 1921
Age 33
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Badge 3
The Vigil Panel 41 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 11

Incident

Patrolman Robert DeKorte was shot and killed with his own weapon while attempting to arrest a fugitive at 448 Twenty-Ninth Street. The subject was found guilty of First Degree Murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Patrolman DeKorte was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWI and had served with the Newport News Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and young son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-667C4D65
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 — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Robert is one person.

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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.
Patrolman DeKorte gave the Newport News Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newport News 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

Department Newport News Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Newport News, VA
Platform Identity nnpd.newportnews.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 23, 1921
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 33
Badge Number 3
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Robert Hayes DeKorte served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Robert Hayes DeKorte 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 VA, 394 of 655 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.2% of this state's fallen. That is 60.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Newport News Police Department, 7 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.3% of this agency's fallen.

Newport News Police Department
7
of 12 officers
58.3% Felonious
VA — Statewide
394
of 655 officers
60.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Hayes DeKorte's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Robert Hayes DeKorte Compares

Age at Death
33
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Hayes DeKorte is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert Hayes DeKorte was killed by officer's handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Robert Hayes DeKorte served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

Visit Robert Hayes DeKorte’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.