William Haywood Webb

Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office — Tarboro, NC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch October 6, 1964

Age 30

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

The Vigil Panel 99 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Sheriff William Webb succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained three days earlier while assisting a local constable in making an arrest in Speed, North Carolina. The constable had attempted to arrest a man for being drunk, but the man resisted arrest. As the constable and the town mayor swore out a warrant, the man's brother went home and retrieved a 12-gauge shotgun. The brother returned with the shotgun just as Deputy Webb pulled up to the location. When Deputy Webb exited his patrol car, the suspect shot him in the head. Deputy Webb was transported to Duke Hospital in Durham, where he died three days later. The suspect was arrested a short time later by Edgecombe County ABC officers who responded to the scene. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on January 20th, 1965. He was released on August 8th, 1984. Deputy Webb was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office for three years. He had previously served with the Edgecombe County ABC Enforcement for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, parents, brother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-797807D4
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 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 Webb gave the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tarboro 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

Department Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office

Location Tarboro, NC

Platform Identity ecso.edgecombe.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 6, 1964

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge

Offender Released after 19 years

Military Service

William Haywood Webb served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff William Haywood Webb 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%.

At Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office

of 4 officers

50% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious