Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff James Goodwin suffered a fatal heart attack while attempting to apprehend two juvenile inmates who were escaping from the Spencer County Jail at 9:00 p.m.
As he heard the commotion, he ran downstairs and captured one of the juveniles in the street. He collapsed as he escorted the boy back inside. While his son came to his aid, the juvenile fled.
The juveniles were apprehended the next day.
Sheriff Goodwin was a United States Army WWII veteran and had served with the Spencer County Sheriff's Department for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, five children, three brothers, three sisters, and four grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-8474F1AA- 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.
Sheriff Goodwin gave the Spencer County Sheriff's Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rockport community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James Cletus Goodwin served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sheriff James Cletus Goodwin is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In IN, 24 of 503 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.8% of this state's fallen. That is 0.8 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At Spencer County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Cletus Goodwin's cause is highlighted.
How James Cletus Goodwin Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. James Cletus Goodwin is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Spencer County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
