Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Henry Epperson was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a gambler at Lake Butler. Sheriff Epperson and a detective from Waycross, Georgia, were searching for another man when they encountered the suspect. Sheriff Epperson decided to arrest the man on other charges and was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire. The suspect was convicted of Sheriff Epperson's murder and sentenced to death. He escaped before the sentence could be carried out and it is unknown if he was ever recaptured. Sheriff Epperson took office after his father, Sheriff George Epperson, was shot and killed on December 12, 1885.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-9A85B62A- 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
136 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Epperson gave the Bradford County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Starke community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Henry W. Epperson 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 Bradford County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Henry W. Epperson's cause is highlighted.
How Henry W. Epperson Compares
Offender Outcome
Escaped from prison
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry W. Epperson is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry W. Epperson was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Bradford County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
