Samuel Enoch Vaughn
Agency patch
Deputy U.S. Marshal

Samuel Enoch Vaughn

Felonious
End of Watch August 8, 1953
Age 54
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 89 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Marshal Samuel Vaughn was killed in Bartow County, Georgia, while transporting two prisoners from Tennessee to the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. Three days earlier both were convicted of interstate auto theft and sentenced to 5 years each. The two prisoners were some how able to overpower Deputy Marshal Vaughn and his partner. At some point the suspects shot Deputy Marshal Vaughn several times and left his body on the side of U.S. 41, near Adairsville, in front of the home of a farmer, who witnessed the incident. They held the other deputy marshal as a hostage as they continued to flee. A few minutes later they set their hostage free and abandoned the car near Adairsville. Four days later the suspects, 25 and 31, were apprehended by several National Guardsmen, officers, and FBI Agents. Both were convicted of murder. One was sentenced to life and the youngest, who shot and killed Marshal Vaughn, was sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life and in 1955 he was sent to Alcatraz. Deputy Marshal Vaughan had served in several law enforcement positions in his 20-year career.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-4BCC2477
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

20 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Vaughn gave the United States Department of Justice 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy U.S. Marshal Vaughn.

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

Agency

Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 8, 1953
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun
Offender Convicted of murder

Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Enoch Vaughn 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
251
of 313 officers
80.2% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,419 officers
53.1% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel Enoch Vaughn's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Samuel Enoch Vaughn Compares

Age at End of Watch
54
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
20
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Convicted of murder

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel Enoch Vaughn is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel Enoch Vaughn was killed by officer's handgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518