Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrol Officer Samuel Stephens was shot and killed while conducting a check of a car he believed to be stolen. He had radioed a description of the car to the dispatch at 1:55 am. When dispatch radioed back that the car was stolen a few minutes later they received no response from Officer Stephens. Another officer was sent to the scene on East Main Street and found Officer Stephens slumped over the steering wheel of his car suffering from a gunshot wound to the head and one to the chest. He was transported to John F. Kennedy Hospital where he died about 8 hours later. One of two suspects was arrested several days later. Officer Stephens was a U.S. Army veteran. He had served with the Pahokee Police Department for two years and had previously served as a deputy for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for three years. He was survived by his two daughters. His body was interred at Port Mayaca Cemetery in Martin County, Florida.
Survivors
He was survived by his two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-D98DC404- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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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.
Patrol Officer Stephens gave the Pahokee Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Pahokee 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
Samuel Melvin Stephens served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrol Officer Samuel Melvin Stephens is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel Melvin Stephens's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel Melvin Stephens Compares
Offender Outcome
Apprehended
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel Melvin Stephens is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel Melvin Stephens was killed by gun; unknown type.