Calvin Donald Cherry
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Calvin Donald Cherry

Felonious
End of Watch August 2, 1979
Age 25
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 121 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Calvin Cherry was shot and killed while searching a home for an inmate who escaped from the Bertie County Jail the previous day. Officers had received information that the escapee was in one of three locations of a public housing complex in Lewiston. After searching one of the locations at 5:30 pm the officers were about to leave when Deputy Cherry decided to take one more look. Deputy Cherry was shot in the chest by the subject when he pulled open the curtain to a shower he was hiding in. The man was arrested approximately 50 yards from the house after an all night search. The 23-year-old subject was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on February 5th, 1980. He was denied parole in 2014. Deputy Cherry had served with the Bertie County Sheriff's Office for five years.

Survivors

Survivor of Trooper Calvin Taylor

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-26519E56
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 Cherry gave the Bertie County Sheriff's Office 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Windsor community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Cherry.

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

Agency

Location Windsor, NC
Platform Identity bcso.bertie.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 2, 1979
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Sentenced to life

Deputy Sheriff Calvin Donald Cherry 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Bertie County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Bertie County Sheriff's Office
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
NC — Statewide
385
of 664 officers
58% 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. Calvin Donald Cherry'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 Calvin Donald Cherry Compares

Age at End of Watch
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to life

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Calvin Donald Cherry is highlighted in Aug.

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. Calvin Donald Cherry 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

1 officer from Bertie County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.