Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Sam Etheredge was shot and killed shortly after midnight on Christmas Day after responding to the Grandview Apartments at 141 S. Grandview Avenue for reports of a man causing a disturbance. When they made contact with the suspect in his room, the man opened fire, striking Officer Etheredge in the torso and wounding the responding lieutenant; Officer Etheridge and the responding Lieutenant were able to return fire. The man was convicted of Officer Etheredge's murder and sentenced to 75 years in prison. Officer Etheredge had served with the Daytona Beach Police Department for ten years and was the first Daytona Beach officer killed in the line of duty in 35 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-AF84306A- 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.
Officer Etheredge gave the Daytona Beach Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Daytona Beach community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Etheredge.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Sam Edward Etheredge Jr. 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Daytona Beach Police Department, 8 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Sam Edward Etheredge Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Sam Edward Etheredge Jr. Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Sam Edward Etheredge Jr. is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Sam Edward Etheredge Jr. was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
10 officers from Daytona Beach Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
