Walter Lee Soileau, Jr.
Sergeant

Walter Lee Soileau, Jr.

Illness
End of Watch August 19, 2020
Age 62
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
The Vigil Panel 172 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Walter Soileau died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Sergeant Soileau had served with the Cameron Parish Sheriff's Department for 13 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Sergeant Walter Lee Soileau, Jr. died on August 19, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 62.

He is one of 884 officers honored here.

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 wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-LA-13B950D8
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Sergeant Soileau gave the Cameron Parish Sheriff's Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cameron community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Soileau.

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

Agency

Location Cameron, LA
Platform Identity cpso.cameron.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 19, 2020
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 62
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

Sergeant Walter Lee Soileau, Jr. is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In LA, 28 of 595 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.7% of this state's fallen. That is 4.4 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

At Cameron Parish Sheriff's Dept., 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Cameron Parish Sheriff's Dept.
1
of 2 officers
50% Illness
LA — Statewide
28
of 595 officers
4.7% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter Lee Soileau, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Walter Lee Soileau, Jr. Compares

Age at End of Watch
62
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
13
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Lee Soileau, Jr. is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Cameron Parish Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw.