Roll of Honor

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Deputy Sheriff

Carl L. Darling, Jr.

Otsego County Sheriff's Dept. — Gaylord, MI

Felonious

End of Watch May 3, 1986

Age 35

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Badge 15

The Vigil Panel 130 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 2

Incident

Deputy Darling was shot and killed while transporting a pedestrian he had picked up. The suspect abducted Deputy Darling and then shot him. The suspect in Deputy Darling's murder fled to Georgia where he was shot and killed by a special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Deputy Darling had served with the agency for 3 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-74F18A21
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 Sheriff Darling gave the Otsego County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gaylord community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Darling.

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

Agency

Department Otsego County Sheriff's Dept.

Location Gaylord, MI

Platform Identity ocso.otsego.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 3, 1986

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 35

Badge Number 15

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Deputy Sheriff Carl L. Darling, Jr. 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Otsego County Sheriff's Dept., 1 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Otsego County Sheriff's Dept.

of 3 officers

33.3% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Carl L. Darling, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Carl L. Darling, Jr. Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Carl L. Darling, Jr. is highlighted in May.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Carl L. Darling, Jr. was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Otsego County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw.

Corrections Officer

Thomas Clarence Bunker