Virgil Laurence Deyo
Agency patch
Deputy Chief of Police

Virgil Laurence Deyo

Huron Police Department — Huron, SD
Felonious
End of Watch November 29, 1966
Age 46
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
The Vigil Panel 102 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Police Chief Virgil Deyo was shot and killed while searching for a suspect along with a posse. Although off-duty, Deputy Chief Deyo volunteered to join the posse as he was acquainted with the suspect and believed he could talk the man into surrendering. The officers located the suspect and opened fire on his car when the suspect refused to stop. The man fled into a nearby creek bed to hide. As the officers searched some nearby underbrush, the suspect opened fire, mortally wounding Deputy Chief Deyo. Another officer returned fire and killed the man. Deputy Chief Deyo succumbed to his wounds two days later.

Survivors

Deputy Chief Deyo was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SD-70FA3EA3
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Chief of Police Deyo gave the Huron Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Huron community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Chief of Police Deyo.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Huron, Beadle County, SD
Platform Identity hpd.beadle.sd.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 29, 1966
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Age 46
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy Chief of Police Virgil Laurence Deyo is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In SD, 36 of 62 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.1% of this state's fallen. That is 58.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Huron Police Department, 3 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Huron Police Department
3
of 3 officers
100% Felonious
SD — Statewide
36
of 62 officers
58.1% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Virgil Laurence Deyo's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Virgil Laurence Deyo Compares

Age at Death
46
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
19
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Virgil Laurence Deyo is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Virgil Laurence Deyo was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Huron Police Department are honored on badge.nw.