Ray Lynn Barnes

Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission — Tallahassee, FL

Felonious

End of Watch November 21, 1987

Age 31

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Wildlife Officer Ray Barnes was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a person illegally hunting deer along the Shoal River near the Okaloosa County-Walton County line. The suspect managed to gain control of the officer's handgun and shot him. The suspect was convicted of third-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years. He was paroled on October 31st, 2004. On December 20th, 2007, he was returned to the Florida Penitentiary to serve a term of 35 years after his third conviction for DUI, resisting and eluding officers, and driving with a revoked license.

Survivors

Officer Barnes was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-AE0CBCCA
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.
Wildlife Officer Barnes served with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
Thank you for your service to the Tallahassee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Wildlife Officer Barnes.

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

Agency

Department Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission

Location Tallahassee, FL

Platform Identity fgfwfc.leon.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 21, 1987

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Paroled in 2004

Wildlife Officer Ray Lynn Barnes 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 Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, 5 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission

of 15 officers

33.3% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious