Roll of Honor

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Deputy Sheriff

Charles Mayes

Dawson County Sheriff's Office — Lexington, NE

Felonious

End of Watch June 17, 1876

Age 36

The Vigil Panel 5 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Charles Mayes was shot and killed while serving a writ of ejectment on a farmer approximately five miles south of Lexington.

The person named on the writ opened fire, killing Deputy Mayes. Two men who had accompanied the deputy subdued the suspect and took him to jail.

Later that night a mob of angry citizens took the prisoner from the jail and hung him from the second floor railing of the courthouse.

No passage of time could ever erase your service and the sacrifice you made, and know that you will never be forgotten. Rest in peace always.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo (Retired) Delaware State Police June 17th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-9282DC9C
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

150 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Mayes served with the Dawson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Lexington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Dawson County Sheriff's Office

Location Lexington, NE

Platform Identity dcso.dawson.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 1876

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Lynched by mob

Deputy Sheriff Charles Mayes 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 10 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Dawson County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% 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. Charles Mayes'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 Charles Mayes Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Lynched by mob

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Mayes is highlighted in Jun.

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. Charles Mayes 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