Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Christopher Horner was shot and killed while checking on a suspicious car in a cemetery at approximately 6:40 am. He notified dispatch with a description of the vehicle but failed to respond to further communications. Other officers responded to the scene and located his body next to his patrol with a gunshot wound to the head. His murder had remained unsolved for five years until a man in jail on another charge confessed to being involved with it after undergoing a spiritual conversion. Investigators determined that Officer Horner had encountered several men in the cemetery who had robbed a hotel several hours earlier and were planning a bank robbery. He had the four suspects in the car exit at gunpoint; however, a fifth person had already exited the car before Officer Horner's arrival and was in a nearby orange grove. As the fifth suspect exited the orange grove behind Officer Horner, one of the suspects being held at gunpoint distracted him by engaging him in conversation. As Officer Horner backed up toward his patrol car, the fifth suspect attacked him from behind. The other suspects immediately joined in the struggle and disarmed him. One of the suspects yelled to the other to shoot him, and the suspect shot the officer in the back of his head with his own service weapon. The suspects then placed the handgun under his body and fled the scene. The subject who confessed to being involved was originally sentenced to life plus 107 years, but the sentence was later reduced to 15 years for his cooperation in testifying against the other men. The subject who shot Officer Horner was sentenced to life plus 10 years, but the United States Supreme Court later vacated his murder conviction, and prosecutors decided not to retry him for murder. He will be resentenced for his conviction of using a firearm during a crime of violence to kill another person and faces a possible life sentence. Officer Horner had served with the Haines City Police Department for 14
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
You barely got started.
Police Officer Horner gave the Haines City Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Haines City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Horner.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Christopher Todd Horner 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Haines City Police Department, 1 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Christopher Todd Horner's cause is highlighted.
How Christopher Todd Horner Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Christopher Todd Horner is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Christopher Todd Horner was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Haines City Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
