Gordon Barnes

Maryland Natural Resources Police — Annapolis, MD

Felonious

End of Watch February 5, 1945

Age 39

Tour of Duty 10 mo

The Vigil Panel 81 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Deputy Game Warden Gordon Barnes was shot and killed while investigating a hunting complaint near Pocomoke City on the Eastern Shore. While returning from church Warden Barnes noticed a subject acting suspicious and entering a field with a shotgun approximately one mile east of Pocomoke City on the Pocomoke City-Snow Hill Highway. The warden was dropped off by his wife to investigate further and was found dead one day later. The subject was convicted of Deputy Warden Barne's murder and hanged on December 29th, 1945. Deputy Barnes had served with the Maryland Natural Resources Police for only 10 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and infant child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-A7D75A81
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.
Deputy Game Warden Barnes served with the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Thank you for your service to the Annapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Game Warden Barnes.

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

Agency

Department Maryland Natural Resources Police

Location Annapolis, MD

Platform Identity mnrcons.annearundel.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 5, 1945

Tour of Duty 10 mo

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Executed in 1945

Deputy Game Warden Gordon 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Maryland Natural Resources Police, 1 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.

Maryland Natural Resources Police

of 5 officers

20% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious