Volney Turner
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Volney Turner

Felonious
End of Watch April 20, 1878
Age 50
The Vigil Panel 5 ›
Gender Male

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
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 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

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Quitman, Wood County, 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

Deputy Sheriff Volney Turner 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 TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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
5
of 6 officers
83.3% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,461
of 2,422 officers
60.3% 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. Volney Turner's cause is highlighted.

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

How Volney Turner Compares

Age at Death
50
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Volney Turner is highlighted in Apr.

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. Volney Turner was killed by handgun.

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