Danese Byron Crowder

Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission — Tallahassee, FL

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch May 3, 1974

Age 27

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 113 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 14

Incident

Wildlife Officer Dan Crowder was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man at 8:30 p.m. for hunting deer out of season near Cooks Hammock, Lafayette County. As Officer Crowder exited his patrol truck, the subject ambushed him, striking the truck door. He was hit with shrapnel and attempted to seek cover behind the truck but was shot in his back. He was found the next day. The subject was apprehended in Lafayette County. He was convicted of Officer Crowder's murder and sentenced to life in prison. Wildlife Officer Crowder was a Florida National Guard veteran and had served with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-B8CD5BF1
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Wildlife Officer Crowder gave the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tallahassee community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission

Type Other

Location Tallahassee, FL

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

Service Record

End of Watch May 3, 1974

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Military Service

Danese Byron Crowder served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Wildlife Officer Danese Byron Crowder is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,586 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.

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

17,559

of 32,586 officers

53.9% Felonious