Mary T. Davis

Wilmington Police Department — Wilmington, DE

Felonious

End of Watch May 11, 1924

Age 67

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

The Vigil Panel 47 ›

Gender Female

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 10

Incident

Police Matron Mary Davis was beaten to death by a female prisoner in the Wilmington Jail, at the intersection of 10th Street and French Street, during an escape attempt. The prisoner was the only female prisoner in the cellblock and had been placed in jail for threatening her husband with a gun. While in her cell, the woman broke the sink's water pipe and was using it to break away the cell's wall in her attempt to escape. When Matron Davis saw the water coming from the cell she opened the door and went in to fix what she thought was a plumbing problem. When she entered the prisoner picked up a piece of rock from the wall and beat Matron Davis to death. The prisoner was re-captured and served 10 years for another murder. Matron Davis had served with the Wilmington Police Department for 14 years. She is the second known female law enforcement officer to ever be killed in the line of duty.

Survivors

She was survived by her four children and is buried in Mount Salem Cemetery, Wilmington, Delaware.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DE-DEA8C069
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.
Police Matron Davis gave the Wilmington Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Wilmington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Matron Davis.

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

Agency

Department Wilmington Police Department

Location Wilmington, DE

Platform Identity wpd.newcastle.de.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 11, 1924

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Age 67

Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object; Rock

Offender Released after 10 years

Police Matron Mary T. Davis 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 DE, 25 of 51 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 49% of this state's fallen. That is 5.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Wilmington Police Department, 7 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

Wilmington Police Department

of 11 officers

63.6% Felonious

DE — Statewide

of 51 officers

49% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious