Samuel DiFrancesco

Lorain County Sheriff's Department — Elyria, OH

Suicide Honored

End of Watch November 8, 2010

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 159 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Biography

As a deputy for the Lorain County Sheriff’s Department, Officer DiFrancesco was in the drug task force unit as an undercover narcotic agent, a member of the S.W.A.T team and a firearms instructor. Always willing to help someone in need, being a police officer was a natural fit for him. Sam loved riding his motorcycle and was an active member of the Lorain Warthogs. In his spare time, he loved hunting and was an avid Cleveland Browns fan. Because he was such a great guy, it took his family a long time to come to terms with his suicide. His death was a surprise to all of them and now, nearly eight years later, they still find it hard to believe. They defined Sam as “a really great guy. We very proud of the man he was and the way he lived.”

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-A47D488D
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

Officer Samuel DiFrancesco served with the Lorain County Sheriff’s Department.
Thank you for your service. We will always remember your sacrifice.
You belong on this wall. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Lorain County Sheriff's Department

Location Elyria, OH

Platform Identity lcso.lorain.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 8, 2010

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Suicide

Samuel DiFrancesco is one of 256 officers honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job across the full record of this memorial — 0.8% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OH, 9 of 991 officers were honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job — 0.9% of this state's fallen. That is 0.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0.8%.

At Lorain County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 5 officers on record were honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job — 20% of this agency's fallen.

Lorain County Sheriff's Department

of 5 officers

20% Suicide

OH — Statewide

of 991 officers

0.9% Suicide

Nationwide

256

of 32,508 officers

0.8% Suicide