Roll of Honor
Incident
Cadet Bayless suffered a fatal heart attack during required boxing training at Basic Patrol School in Raleigh. He was transported to Wake Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Cadet Bayless was a U.S Army veteran and had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 6 months. His academy class was scheduled to graduate the following week. He was survived by his son and parents. His father was a retired member of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Survivors
He was survived by his son and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-D068A49C- 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.
Cadet Bayless served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina, and 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
William Edward Bayless, III served in the Army (1982â1986) before joining law enforcement.
Cadet William Edward Bayless, III 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 NC, 33 of 664 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At North Carolina Highway Patrol, 3 of 69 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Edward Bayless, III's cause is highlighted.
How William Edward Bayless, III Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. William Edward Bayless, III is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
68 officers from North Carolina Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
