Donald Raymond Gilreath, III
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Donny Gilreath died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty at the Hamilton County Justice Center.
Deputy Gilreath had served with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office for 15 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Deputy Sheriff Donald Raymond Gilreath, III died on February 12, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 36.
He is one of 884 officers honored here.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, three children, and sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-4970C956- 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
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Deputy Sheriff Gilreath gave the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Gilreath.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Donald Raymond Gilreath, III is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OH, 49 of 991 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.9% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 13 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 15.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald Raymond Gilreath, III's cause is highlighted.
How Donald Raymond Gilreath, III Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Donald Raymond Gilreath, III is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
12 officers from Hamilton County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.








