Roll of Honor
Incident
Supervisor Samuel Pickels was strangled to death in the Virginia State Penitentiary's metal shop by unknown assailants.
An inmate located his body on the shop floor and alerted other officers.
Supervisor Pickels had served with the Virginia Department of Corrections for 21 years and supervised the metal shop.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-31548667- 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.
Supervisor Pickels served with the Virginia Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Supervisor Pickels.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Supervisor Samuel Anderson Pickels 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 VA, 394 of 656 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.1% of this state's fallen. That is 60.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Virginia Department of Corrections, 8 of 16 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel Anderson Pickels's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel Anderson Pickels Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel Anderson Pickels is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel Anderson Pickels was killed by person.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
15 officers from Virginia Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
