William Henry Rafford

Suffolk County Sheriff's Office — Yaphank, NY

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 16, 1903

Age 48

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 19 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Sheriff William Rafford was shot and killed when he went to the home of a man to serve a civil court summons at a farm in Aquebogue, New York. Deputy Rafford entered the suspect's home and presented him with a court summons. The suspect went into another room and when he returned he shot Deputy Rafford twice with a double-barreled shotgun. The man then dragged Deputy Rafford's body outside. When other deputies arrived, the suspect refused to surrender. All the windows of the suspect's home were broken by deputies in an effort to freeze the suspect out. After an overnight standoff, the suspect surrendered. The suspect was later judged to be insane by the Lunacy Commission and sent to the Matteawan State Hospital for Insane Criminals. Deputy Rafford was a military veteran. He had served with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office for 15 years and also served as the warden for the Suffolk County Jail at the time of his death.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-C610B3DE
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.
Deputy Sheriff Rafford gave the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Yaphank community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

Location Yaphank, NY

Platform Identity scso.suffolk.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 16, 1903

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Committed

Military Service

William Henry Rafford served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff William Henry Rafford 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

50% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious