Roll of Honor
W. D. Kellett
Incident
Location: Georgia Weapon: Rifle; .44 caliber Offender: Sentenced to death
Deputy Marshal W.D. Kellett was shot and killed from ambush while escorting a prisoner to jail in Walker County, Georgia.
The prisoner had been arrested on an outstanding warrant related to moonshining. They were crossing Lookout Mountain to return to Summerville when Deputy Marshal Kellett was ambushed as they crossed Little River, near the Georgia - Alabama state line. He suffered a non fatal wound by a shotgun before being shot in the back with a .44 caliber rifle.
An investigation determined that Deputy Marshal Kellett had been ambushed by a man whom he had arrested 10 years earlier while serving as sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia. The father of the man named on the warrant had notified Deputy Marshal Kellett that his son would turn himself in in order to lure him to Lookout Mountain. The man seeking revenge who fired the shot that killed him was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death.
Deputy Marshal Kellett had served as with the United States Marshals Service for five months and had previously served in law enforcement for at least 10 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
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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
141 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Kellett gave the United States Department of Justice 10 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy U.S. Marshal W. D. Kellett 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. W. D. Kellett's cause is highlighted.
How W. D. Kellett Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. W. D. Kellett is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. W. D. Kellett was killed by rifle; .44 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
312 officers from United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
