Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Wayne Hathaway succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day after responding to a domestic dispute call at the Weaver Estates Mobile Home Community in Sharpsburg around 12:40 p.m. The suspect, 25, also shot and killed his wife during the incident. He was apprehended following a search involving several hundred officers. On November 10, 1999, the suspect was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. On November 18, 1999, he was given two death sentences for the murder of his wife and Chief Hathaway, but the death sentence was overturned, and he was sentenced to two life sentences. Chief Hathaway had served as chief of the 6-man department for 25 years. He is survived by his son. A portion of U.S. 301 through Sharpsburg was named after him.
Survivors
He is survived by his son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-22A14577- 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
23 years. You could have gone home.
Chief of Police Hathaway gave the Sharpsburg Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Sharpsburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Hathaway.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Willard Wayne Hathaway 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Willard Wayne Hathaway's cause is highlighted.
How Willard Wayne Hathaway Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to two life sentences
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Willard Wayne Hathaway is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Willard Wayne Hathaway was killed by handgun; .25 caliber.