Roll of Honor

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Sheriff

Hugh Lee McNamara

Hyde County Sheriff's Office — Highmore, SD

Felonious

End of Watch April 30, 1926

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 51 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff McNamara was shot and killed while attempting to serve an eviction notice on a local farmer. The 55-year-old farmer opened fire with a shotgun killing Sheriff McNamara and seriously wounding his brother, a deputy sheriff. The suspect was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. He died in prison on October 22, 1948. Sheriff McNamara was buried in Saint Johns Catholic Cemetery in Harrold.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SD-BA118A60
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.
Sheriff McNamara served with the Hyde County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Highmore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff McNamara.

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

Agency

Department Hyde County Sheriff's Office

Location Highmore, SD

Platform Identity hcso.hyde.sd.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 30, 1926

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Died in prison

Sheriff Hugh Lee McNamara 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 SD, 36 of 62 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.1% of this state's fallen. That is 3.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Hyde County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

SD — Statewide

of 62 officers

58.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Hugh Lee McNamara's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Hugh Lee McNamara Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Died in prison

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Hugh Lee McNamara is highlighted in Apr.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Hugh Lee McNamara was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518