Allen Frankland Bennett

Richland County Sheriff's Dept. — Columbia, SC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch June 20, 1953

Age 25

Tour of Duty 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 89 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Allen Bennett disappeared while chasing a bootlegger in a wooded area near the State Park Intersection off of Highway 21. He had stopped at another deputy's home to ask the other deputy to assist him but the deputy was not home. He left the deputy's house and was never seen again. His body was found in the woods several days later. A suspect was arrested on July 20, 1954, near Wilson, North Carolina. He was convicted of his murder and was released after serving 20 years. Deputy Bennett was a WWII U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Richland County Sheriff's Department for 3 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and 4-year-old son, his father, three brothers, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SC-9CA5F7B5
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.
Deputy Sheriff Bennett served with the Richland County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Columbia community, 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 Richland County Sheriff's Dept.

Location Columbia, SC

Platform Identity rcso.richland.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1953

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Released after 20 years

Military Service

Allen Frankland Bennett served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Allen Frankland Bennett 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 Richland County Sheriff's Dept., 2 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.

Richland County Sheriff's Dept.

of 7 officers

28.6% Felonious

SC — Statewide

271

of 438 officers

61.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious