Richard Varn Woods

South Carolina Highway Patrol — Blythewood, SC

Felonious

End of Watch August 19, 1969

Age 34

The Vigil Panel 105 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 51

Incident

Corporal Richard Varn Woods was shot and killed near Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station while attempting to arrest three robbery suspects. The shooting occurred as he attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding. Unbeknownst to Woods, the occupants had just committed an armed robbery. Trooper Woods died from his wounds four days later. The suspect was extradited to South Carolina from Georgia in 1985 to continue his life sentence after escaping in 1971. The murderer was denied parole for the seventh time in March 2004 and later died in prison on May 11, 2008. Corporal Woods served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol for nine years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-773B3DBC
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.
Corporal Woods 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, Corporal Woods.

— 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 August 19, 1969

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Died in prison

Corporal Richard Varn Woods 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