William Ray Tate

Fort Smith Police Department — Fort Smith, AR

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 5, 1981

Age 33

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 123 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Detective William Tate was shot and killed after being abducted along with three crime victims. A woman and a co-worker had gone to the police station to report that the woman's husband was missing. After taking the report, Detective Tate followed the two back to her residence. He advised dispatch of his arrival and then made no further contact. The bodies of Detective Tate, the woman, and the co-worker were found the following day. Detective Tate had been restrained in his own handcuffs and had been shot in the back of the head. The body of the missing husband was found in a nearby recreation area. A suspect, who was on parole after only serving eight years for killing a youth and two years for assault on an FBI agent, was apprehended and charged with four counts of kidnapping and murder. The suspect was convicted of all counts and sentenced to death but died in prison. Detective Tate was a United States Army Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Fort Smith Police Department for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, daughter and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-914CB1DA
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.
Detective Tate gave the Fort Smith Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith Police Department

Location Fort Smith, AR

Platform Identity fortpd.sebastian.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 5, 1981

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Sentenced to death

Military Service

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

Detective William Ray Tate 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 12.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Fort Smith Police Department, 8 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Fort Smith Police Department

of 12 officers

66.7% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious