Roll of Honor
Incident
First Sergeant Lee Howell died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Sergeant Howell was assigned to Troop A, District 9.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
First Sergeant Timothy Lee Howell died on January 7, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 50.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his daughters, mother, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-8BD2B646- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
First Sergeant Howell served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, First Sergeant Howell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
First Sergeant Timothy Lee Howell is one of 1 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In NC, 37 of 664 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this state's fallen. That is 5.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At North Carolina Highway Patrol, 2 of 69 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 2.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Timothy Lee Howell's cause is highlighted.
How Timothy Lee Howell Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Timothy Lee Howell is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
68 officers from North Carolina Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
