Roll of Honor
Richard Terence Dever
Incident
Corrections Sergeant Richard Dever was stabbed to death while assisting in removing a customer from a bar at 85 Main Street in Boston, from which he had been banned.
Sergeant Dever was off duty at the time but recognized the subject as a former problem inmate at the South Bay Correctional Facility, where he worked. He had been released three weeks earlier after serving a term for armed robbery since 1993. As he attempted to convince the man to leave the bar, the subject produced a knife and stabbed him in the chest and face several times, killing him.
The subject, 30, a known EDP, was taken into custody. On December 30, 2006, he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life. On September 30, 2021, he was denied a new trial.
Sergeant Dever had served with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office for 14 years.
Survivors
Survivors include his parents and two brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-DCB900CE- 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.
Corrections Sergeant Dever gave the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Boston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Sergeant Dever.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Corrections Sergeant Richard Terence Dever 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard Terence Dever's cause is highlighted.
How Richard Terence Dever Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Terence Dever is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Richard Terence Dever was killed by edged weapon; knife.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Suffolk County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
