William Patrick Messer

Charleston County Police Department — Charleston, SC

Felonious

End of Watch March 12, 1976

The Vigil Panel 117 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Detective William Messer was killed after being dragged to death underneath a vehicle. He and other detectives were making a traffic stop on a suspected drug dealer at the time. When Detective Messer ran to the passenger side of the vehicle the suspect sped away, dragging Detective Messer several hundred feet. Detective Messer was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The suspect turned himself in the next day and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. He was paroled after serving only nine years.

Survivors

Detective Messer was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-D5BC7490
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Messer served with the Charleston County Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Charleston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Messer.

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

Agency

Department Charleston County Police Department

Location Charleston, SC

Platform Identity ccpd.charleston.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 12, 1976

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Offender Released after 9 years

Detective William Patrick Messer 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 SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Charleston County Police Department, 5 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Charleston County Police Department

of 6 officers

83.3% Felonious

SC — Statewide

271

of 438 officers

61.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious