Roll of Honor
Incident
Wildlife Officer Joel Campora and Sheriff Cody Carpenter of the Scott County Sheriff's Office drowned while assisting victims of an overnight flash flood along the Fourche Lefave River near Y City, Arkansas.
They had responded by boat to a 911 call at a home in the flooded area along the river. They both exited the boat and entered the home to assist two female victims who were trapped inside. At some point, the officers, victims, and boat were swept away by the rising water. Sheriff Carpenter's body was located the following morning, while Officer Campora's body was recovered three days later, one mile downstream.
Officer Campora had served with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for five years and previously served with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and Mena Police Department.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, mother, father, sister, grandmother, three nephews, and a niece.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AR-A37A5A9B- 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.
Wildlife Officer Campora gave the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Little Rock community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Wildlife Officer Campora.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Wildlife Officer Joel Lee Campora is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In AR, 92 of 372 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.3 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, 4 of 8 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joel Lee Campora's cause is highlighted.
How Joel Lee Campora Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Joel Lee Campora is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Arkansas Game & Fish Commission are honored on badge.nw.
