Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Detective

Theodore Roosevelt Cole, Jr.

Chapel Hill Police Department — Chapel Hill, NC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch June 4, 1969

Age 27

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 105 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Detective Theodore Cole was shot and killed by a subject whom he had previously arrested several times.

Detective Cole was at home when the subject approached him in his yard and opened fire with a shotgun without warning.

The subject who murdered him was sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled in 1988 and died in 2001.

Detective Cole was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Chapel Hill Police Department for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-0E9B70DD
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Theodore. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

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.
Detective Cole gave the Chapel Hill Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chapel Hill community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Chapel Hill Police Department

Location Chapel Hill, NC

Platform Identity chpd.orange.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 4, 1969

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

Theodore Roosevelt Cole, Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Detective Theodore Roosevelt Cole, Jr. 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Chapel Hill Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% 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. Theodore Roosevelt Cole, Jr.'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 Theodore Roosevelt Cole, Jr. Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Theodore Roosevelt Cole, Jr. is highlighted in Jun.

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. Theodore Roosevelt Cole, Jr. was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518