Roll of Honor
William McKinley Goodwin
Incident
Deputy Sheriff William Goodwin was killed when his patrol car was struck by a train at a railroad crossing on Rural Paved Road 1423 near Halifax, North Carolina, at 8:50 a.m. Deputy Goodwin was a U.S. Navy veteran who had served with the Halifax County Sheriff's Office for only five months and was the agency's first African American deputy. He had previously served with the Roanoke Rapids Police Department for one year. He was survived by his expectant wife, parents, three sisters, and a brother. His daughter was born a few months later.
Survivors
He was survived by his expectant wife, parents, three sisters, and a brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-0F9D55D5- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Goodwin gave the Halifax County Sheriff's Office 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Halifax community, and 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 McKinley Goodwin served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Deputy Sheriff William McKinley Goodwin is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In NC, 205 of 664 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.9% of this state's fallen. That is 30.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Halifax County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William McKinley Goodwin's cause is highlighted.
How William McKinley Goodwin Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William McKinley Goodwin is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Military Service
William McKinley Goodwin served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Visit William McKinley Goodwin’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Halifax County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
