Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief Vernon LeMaster was shot and killed after he and two deputies responded to a location to recover a stolen handgun at 10:30 am.
Chief LeMaster accompanied Marshall County and Madison County deputies to a home on Cathedral Caverns Highway in search of the weapon shortly after 10:00 am. The officers confronted the two juvenile suspects in the house, and shots were exchanged. During the gunfight, Chief LeMaster was shot in the face. He was flown to Huntsville Hospital, where he died at 11:45 am.
One suspect was shot and wounded by deputies in return gunfire. Both suspects were arrested and charged as adults with capital murder and attempted murder. Both were subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Chief LeMaster had a total of 28 years of law enforcement experience and had served with the Grant Police Department for 20 years. He had served as the chief for 13 years.
The town of Grant is a mountaintop community of about 700 people in northeast Marshall County.
Chief LeMaster had a total of 28 years of law enforcement experience and had served with the Grant Police Department for 20 years. He had served as the chief for 13 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his daughter, sister, father, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-396D01B1- 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
28 years. You could have gone home.
Chief of Police LeMaster gave the Grant Police Department 28 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Grant community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police LeMaster.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Verlon LeMaster, Jr. 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Verlon LeMaster, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Verlon LeMaster, Jr. Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Verlon LeMaster, Jr. is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Verlon LeMaster, Jr. was killed by gun; unknown type.