Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Samuel Blackwell succumbed to stab wounds received four days earlier in Coolidge while attempting to arrest a man who had raped his girlfriend and threatened her with a knife. When Deputy Blackwell approached the man he was attacked and stabbed in the chest. Although wounded, he was able to draw his weapon and fatally shoot the man. Deputy Blackwell was taken to Casa Grande Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds four days later. Deputy Blackwell worked for the Pinal County Sheriff's Department and served as the resident deputy for the town of Coolidge.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, and three daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-4E29807C- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Blackwell served with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Florence community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Blackwell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Samuel Dow Blackwell 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 AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Pinal County Sheriff's Office, 12 of 14 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel Dow Blackwell's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel Dow Blackwell Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel Dow Blackwell is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel Dow Blackwell was killed by edged weapon; knife.
Others Who Wore This Badge
13 officers from Pinal County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
