Walter Franklin Stathers

Coral Gables Police Dept. — Coral Gables, FL

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 19, 1967

Age 45

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

The Vigil Panel 103 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Police Officer Walter Stathers was shot and killed, possibly with his own weapon, while on patrol in an upscale neighborhood. He had been assigned to the neighborhood for nine years and knew all of the residents. He had been on the lookout for a prowler throughout his shift and spotted him at 4:00 am. After requesting a canine unit, he became engaged in a struggle with the suspect, who then fatally shot him. The suspect escaped and was never identified. Officer Stathers was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Coral Gables Police Department for 14 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and four siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-C70E53ED
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 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.
Police Officer Stathers gave the Coral Gables Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Coral Gables 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 Coral Gables Police Dept.

Location Coral Gables, FL

Platform Identity corapd.miamidade.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 19, 1967

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Never identified

Military Service

Walter Franklin Stathers served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Walter Franklin Stathers 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 Coral Gables Police Dept., 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.

Coral Gables Police Dept.

of 9 officers

77.8% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious