Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Roy Dirks was shot and killed by a copycat killer mimicking the famous serial killer Charles Manson. Deputy Dirks was investigating a drowning incident when he was killed on a dead-end logging road in the Blue River Reservoir area 30 miles west of Eugene. The suspect was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The leader of the copycat cult was charged with murder in this case but was acquitted. He was found guilty of hindering the prosecution. Deputy Dirks was a United States Army Korean War veteran and had served 10 years with the Lane County Sheriff's Office.
Survivors
He was survived by his four children, father, brother, two sisters, and several nieces and nephews.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OR-8982728B- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. Roy 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.
Deputy Sheriff Dirks gave the Lane County Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Eugene 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Roy Hugo Dirks served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Deputy Sheriff Roy Hugo Dirks 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 97,756 officers honored here.
In OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 58.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Lane County Sheriff's Department, 5 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Roy Hugo Dirks's cause is highlighted.
How Roy Hugo Dirks Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Roy Hugo Dirks is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Roy Hugo Dirks was killed by handgun.
Military Service
Roy Hugo Dirks served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Visit Roy Hugo Dirks’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Lane County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
