Willie Ellison Hall

Durham County Sheriff's Office — Durham, NC

Felonious

End of Watch October 18, 1929

Age 51

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 58 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Willie Hall was shot and killed while searching for illegal whiskey in the woods three miles southeast of Durham. The 24-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on December 6, 1929. He was later granted a new trial and convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 30 years hard labor on May 20, 1930. He died in prison on December 21, 1941, of acute appendicitis. Deputy Hall had served with the Durham County Sheriff's Office for ten years. He had been seriously wounded in 1923 while responding to a domestic dispute. He was survived by his wife, four daughters, and two sons. Deputy Hall's brother, Deputy Onus Hall, was shot and killed on July 17th, 1939, while responding to a domestic disturbance.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four daughters, and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Deputy Sheriff Hall gave the Durham County Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Durham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hall.

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

Agency

Department Durham County Sheriff's Office

Location Durham, NC

Platform Identity dcso.durham.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 18, 1929

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Sentenced to life

Deputy Sheriff Willie Ellison Hall 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 Durham County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Durham County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

60% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious