Roll of Honor
William A. Burnett Jr.
Incident
Assistant Watershed Warden Billy Burnett was shot and killed after arresting a trespasser in the North Fork Watershed.
Assistant Warden Burnett, along with his father who served as the warden, observed four men trespassing along the watershed and split up to apprehend them. When the men saw the wardens they all fled. Assistant Warden Burnett was able to arrest one of the men and began walking with him to meet up with his father.
The man suddenly grabbed his 18-inch metal flashlight and struck Assistant Warden Burnett on the head, knocking him down. He then grabbed Assistant Burnett's pistol from its holster and shot him several times. His father witnessed the shooting and exchanged shots with the man as he fled. The subject was arrested the following day. He plead guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
Assistant Warden Burnett was a U.S. Navy veteran and had only been appointed as the Assistant Watershed Warden ten days earlier.
Survivors
He was survived by his parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-903E732A- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. William is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Assistant Watershed Warden Burnett served with the Asheville Water Department.
Thank you for your service to the Asheville community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
William A. Burnett Jr. served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Assistant Watershed Warden William A. Burnett Jr. 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 97,759 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 58 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William A. Burnett Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How William A. Burnett Jr. Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William A. Burnett Jr. is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William A. Burnett Jr. was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Military Service
William A. Burnett Jr. served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Visit William A. Burnett Jr.’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Asheville Water Department are honored on badge.nw.