Volney Turner

Wood County Sheriff's Office — Quitman, TX

Felonious

End of Watch April 20, 1878

Age 50

The Vigil Panel 5 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Volney Turner was shot and killed as he and several other deputies attempted to serve a warrant on a man for cattle theft.

The posse had gone to the man's home in Van Zandt County to arrest him. When they arrived at the home they found the suspect in his bed. As they attempted to arrest him, the man pulled a handgun from under his pillow and opened fire, fatally wounding Deputy Turner. The other deputies returned fire. Despite being wounded five times, the suspect was able to flee the scene. He was arrested a short time later.

Deputy Turner also served as a deputy city marshal for Mineola, Texas.

Rest in Peace Deputy Volney Turner. Thank You for your Service and Sacrifice protecting the citizens of Wood County, Texas.

I Pray that the hounds of hell forever gnaw at the carcass of your murderer. May he know no peace in the after life. May the flames of hell forever scorch his soul.

Amen.

Senior Special Agent B.L. Sherwood (Ret) Port Terminal Railroad Police Houston, Texas April 20th, 2016

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-89687A3E
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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Turner served with the Wood County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Quitman community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Wood County Sheriff's Office

Location Quitman, TX

Platform Identity wcso.wood.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 20, 1878

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Shot and wounded

Deputy Sheriff Volney Turner 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Wood County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Wood County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

83.3% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious