Jimmy A. Traylor

South Carolina Highway Patrol — Blythewood, SC

Felonious

End of Watch December 25, 1970

Age 30

The Vigil Panel 107 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 51

Incident

Trooper Jimmy Traylor was shot and killed after he answered a radio call from another trooper asking for help in making an arrest. The shooting occurred when a man and his son drove into the yard of their home after being chased by the other trooper for failing to dim their headlights. A struggle resulted with the two and the son grabbed the troopers service revolver. The trooper ran back to his patrol car and got another gun as Trooper Traylor was arriving on the scene. During an exchange of gun shots Trooper Traylor was shot three times in the chest and killed instantly. The other trooper was shot three times in the abdomen and seriously injured. The father was shot twice in the arm and leg. Other officers arrived on the scene and took the father into custody. The son had escaped. A few hours later deputies took the son into custody after he was found at a nearby house hiding under a bed. Both father and son, 21 and 42, along with both their wives were charged with murder. The son was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. The father was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years. Their wives were convicted of interfering with an officer and both were sentenced to two years. The son was paroled in 1982. In 1999 his parole was revoked and he was sent back to prison to serve the remainder of his life sentence after he was charged with drunk driving and a shotgun was found in the trunk of his car. He died in prison in 2004.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-7165CB5D
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.
Patrolman Traylor served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of South Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Traylor.

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

Agency

Department South Carolina Highway Patrol

Location Blythewood, SC

Platform Identity schp.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 25, 1970

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Charged with murder

Patrolman Jimmy A. Traylor 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 SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At South Carolina Highway Patrol, 20 of 52 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.5% of this agency's fallen.

South Carolina Highway Patrol

of 52 officers

38.5% Felonious

SC — Statewide

271

of 438 officers

61.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious