David Warner "Rocky" Eales

Oklahoma Highway Patrol — Oklahoma City, OK

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch September 24, 1999

Age 49

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 146 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 38

Incident

Trooper Eales was shot and killed as he and other officers, along with the district attorney's drug task force, were serving a warrant at a rural residence in Sequoyah County.

The officers had just arrived at the residence when they were ambushed while still in their cruiser. The round was fired from a .223 caliber rifle and struck Trooper Eales in the side, just above his vest's side panels.

Officers were able to return fire, wounding one suspect. That suspect and his son were both taken into custody. The suspect's trial was declared a mistrial in October 2002. The suspect was convicted in a second trial and sentenced to 20 years in jail for manslaughter.

In 2005 the suspect was indicted on federal charges of killing a law enforcement officer while avoiding an arrest for a felony. He was convicted of the charge on November 4, 2005, and subsequently sentenced to death, plus two life sentences without parole.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-F6671F1C
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.
Trooper Eales gave the Oklahoma Highway Patrol 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma, 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 Oklahoma Highway Patrol

Location Oklahoma City, OK

Platform Identity ohp.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 24, 1999

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 49

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Military Service

David Warner "Rocky" Eales served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Trooper David Warner "Rocky" Eales 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Oklahoma Highway Patrol, 19 of 39 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.7% of this agency's fallen.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol

of 39 officers

48.7% Felonious

OK — Statewide

403

of 582 officers

69.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious