Van Buren Hendrix
Agency patch
Deputy U.S. Marshal

Van Buren Hendrix

Felonious
End of Watch February 12, 1877
The Vigil Panel 5 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy U.S. Marshal Van Hendrix was shot and killed in Greenville County, South Carolina, while he and several deputies attempted to arrest an escaped prisoner. The officers had gone to the man's cabin and were greeted by shotgun fire. Deputy Marshal Hendrix was struck and killed instantly. The suspect fled but later turned himself in at the sheriff's office. The man was tried and acquitted on grounds of self-defense. The man had also murdered Deputy U.S. Marshal Alfred Duckworth on March 1st, 1876, in Transylvania County, North Carolina, and Deputy U.S. Marshal Rufus Springs in South Carolina on April 19th, 1878.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-8CE28C0D
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

149 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Hendrix served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 12, 1877
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun
Offender Acquitted

Deputy U.S. Marshal Van Buren Hendrix 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
251
of 313 officers
80.2% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,419 officers
53.1% 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. Van Buren Hendrix'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 Van Buren Hendrix Compares

Offender Outcome

Acquitted

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Van Buren Hendrix is highlighted in Feb.

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. Van Buren Hendrix was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518