Roy Curtis
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Roy Curtis

Crittenden County Sheriff's Office — West Memphis, AR
Felonious
End of Watch February 9, 1944
The Vigil Panel 80 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Roy Curtis was shot and mortally wounded in West Memphis by a man he attempted to arrest. Deputy Curtis died in a Memphis hospital four days later.

The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and executed in the electric chair on December 1st, 1944.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AR-53D667E2
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 Curtis served with the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the West Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Curtis.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location West Memphis, Crittenden County, AR
Platform Identity ccso.crittenden.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 9, 1944
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Deputy Sheriff Roy Curtis 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 66.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Crittenden 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.

Crittenden County Sheriff's Office
6
of 6 officers
100% Felonious
AR — Statewide
249
of 372 officers
66.9% 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. Roy Curtis's cause is highlighted.

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

How Roy Curtis Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Roy Curtis is highlighted in Feb.

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. Roy Curtis was killed by gun; unknown type.

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