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Sheriff

Doyle Smith

Searcy County Sheriff's Office — Marshall, AR

Felonious

End of Watch December 7, 1949

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 86 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff Doyle Smith was shot and mortally wounded in the business section of Marshall by a man he ordered to leave town or stop drinking. The subject was also wounded during an exchange of gunfire between the two. Sheriff Doyal died in a Little Rock hospital two days later.

The suspect was charged with first degree murder.

A dispute among witnesses over who fired the first shot led to the suspect's acquittal on February 10th, 1950.

Sheriff Smith is buried in Henley Cemetery, Seary County, Arkansas.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-9A7FB511
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 Smith served with the Searcy County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Marshall community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Smith.

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

Agency

Department Searcy County Sheriff's Office

Location Marshall, AR

Platform Identity scso.searcy.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 1949

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; Pistol

Offender Acquitted

Sheriff Doyle Smith 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%.

Searcy County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Doyle Smith's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Doyle Smith Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Acquitted

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Doyle Smith is highlighted in Dec.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Doyle Smith was killed by handgun; pistol.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518