Roll of Honor
William Henry Letts
Incident
Special Officer William Letts was shot in the head, while off duty and in his home on Columbia Avenue, by a man who was known to him.
Officer Letts was investigating an armed robbery and the man was the prime suspect. Officer Letts died at the scene before medical aid arrived.
On arraignment before the Monmouth County Grand Jury in April 1947 no true bill was returned and the man was not charged. However, the man was convicted of another murder two years later and was executed via the electric chair in 1952.
Officer Letts was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the Union Beach Police Department for several months.
Survivors
He was survived by his expectant wife, parents, and four siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-CD7EBACD- 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.
Special Officer Letts served with the Union Beach Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Union Beach community. Thank you 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 Henry Letts served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Special Officer William Henry Letts 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Henry Letts's cause is highlighted.
How William Henry Letts Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1952
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Henry Letts is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Henry Letts was killed by officer's handgun.