Ray Westover
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Ray Westover

Felonious
End of Watch May 29, 1956
Age 33
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 92 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Ray Westover was shot and killed as he and a state trooper searched three men they had stopped in a stolen vehicle on Ohio State Route 2 and Wynn Road in Oregon, Ohio. The trooper shot one suspect as Deputy Westover's killer fled in the car, leaving his two companions behind. The suspect fled into Toledo, where he lost control of the vehicle as he attempted to swerve around a police roadblock in front of St. Charles Hospital. Just before he crashed, he struck and killed a 19-year-old woman and seriously injured a blind man she was helping cross the street. The 35-year-old suspect who shot Deputy Westover was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life in 1972 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled all death sentences unconstitutional. Deputy Westover had served with the Lucas County Sheriff's Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-184515E7
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 Westover gave the Lucas County Sheriff's Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Toledo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Westover.

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

Agency

Location Toledo, OH
Platform Identity lcso.lucas.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 29, 1956
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun; Luger
Offender Sentenced to life

Deputy Sheriff Ray Westover 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Lucas County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Lucas County Sheriff's Department
1
of 4 officers
25% Felonious
OH — Statewide
572
of 991 officers
57.7% 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. Ray Westover'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 Ray Westover Compares

Age at End of Watch
33
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
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. Ray Westover is highlighted in May.

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. Ray Westover was killed by handgun; luger.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location