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Sheriff

William Fountain Beattie

Crittenden County Sheriff's Office — West Memphis, AR

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch April 21, 1881

Age 35

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Sheriff W.F. Beattie was shot and killed while attempting to arrest an escaped prisoner who had shot a constable several days earlier.

The subject had been arrested for burglary in Crawfordsville by the constable and was held overnight. Several visitors were permitted to see him and one of them provided him a revolver, which he then concealed. The following day the constable and another man were taking the prisoner to Marion on horseback, when the man suddenly opened fire on them, wounding the constable. He was able to escape.

Sheriff Beattie formed a posse and went to the man's home cabin near Crawfordsville. Sheriff Beattie entered the cabin by himself and was immediately shot in the head and killed. The man then wounded a deputy before fleeing again. He was arrested several days later in Augusta, Arkansas. He was convicted of Sheriff Beattie's murder, sentenced to death, and executed by hanging on June 10th, 1881.

Sheriff Beattie was a Civil War veteran of the Confederate Army.

Survivors

He had served as sheriff for approximately three years and was survived by his parents and two siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-B3999349
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.
Sheriff Beattie gave the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the West Memphis community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Crittenden County Sheriff's Office

Location West Memphis, AR

Platform Identity ccso.crittenden.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 21, 1881

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Executed in 1881

Military Service

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

Sheriff William Fountain Beattie 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 Crittenden County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Crittenden County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

100% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious