Roby Fairchild
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Roby Fairchild

Johnson County Sheriff's Office — Paintsville, KY
Felonious
End of Watch August 23, 1975
Age 31
The Vigil Panel 116 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Roby Fairchild was shot and killed while arresting two men for public drunkenness at a store on Route 201 in Sitka, Kentucky. While arresting the two men, a man and wife began to argue with Deputy Fairchild, and then went to their apartment.

As Deputy Fairchild walked the men to their car one of the people he had argued with opened fire from their apartment window, striking Deputy Fairchild in the back. The man and woman were both arrested and charged with murder.

Deputy Fairchild was a part-time deputy with the Johnson County Sheriff's Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-D5F11246
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Fairchild served with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Paintsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Fairchild.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Paintsville, Johnson County, KY
Platform Identity jcso.johnson.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 23, 1975
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Deputy Sheriff Roby Fairchild 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Johnson County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Johnson County Sheriff's Office
6
of 6 officers
100% Felonious
KY — Statewide
755
of 983 officers
76.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Roby Fairchild's cause is highlighted.

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

How Roby Fairchild Compares

Age at Death
31
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Roby Fairchild is highlighted in Aug.

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. Roby Fairchild was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.

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