Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Sidney Houghton was shot and killed by a 16-year-old boy whom he had just transported home after the boy crashed his car into a ditch. Sheriff Houghton had towed the boy's vehicle to Gallatin after the boy had crashed the vehicle. He then drove the boy and his mother to their home in a rural area six miles northwest of Gallatin. Sheriff Houghton was preparing to leave when the boy came back out of the house, approached the car, and shot him several times with a .22 caliber pistol. The subject was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole on December 7th, 1978.
Survivors
Sheriff Houghton was survived by his wife, two sons, and a foster son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-400C3304- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Houghton served with the Daviess County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Gallatin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Houghton.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Sidney Leland Houghton 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Sidney Leland Houghton's cause is highlighted.
How Sidney Leland Houghton Compares
Offender Outcome
retaliation
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Sidney Leland Houghton is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Sidney Leland Houghton was killed by handgun; .22 caliber.