Palmer Morrison Watts

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office — Tuscaloosa, AL

Felonious

End of Watch August 15, 1918

Age 47

The Vigil Panel 34 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Sheriff Watts was shot and killed while attempting to raid a still. The suspect had previously threatened to kill anyone who attempted to arrest him. The suspect fled but was later found hiding in a field. He was convicted of Sheriff Watts' murder and was hanged on June 27, 1919.

Survivors

Sheriff Watts was survived by his wife, two children, and six siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-1F36A152
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.
Sheriff Watts served with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Tuscaloosa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Watts.

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

Agency

Department Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office

Location Tuscaloosa, AL

Platform Identity tcso.tuscaloosa.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 15, 1918

Age 47

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1919

Sheriff Palmer Morrison Watts 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, 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.

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

83.3% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious