Raymond Leroy Wheeler

Metro Nashville Police Department — Nashville, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch November 6, 1973

Age 22

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 112 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 19

Incident

Officer Raymond Wheeler was shot and killed while he and his partner searched three juvenile suspects in the parking lot of the juvenile detention center. During the search, one of the juveniles produced a .22 caliber handgun and opened fire. Officer Wheeler jumped in front of his partner and was struck in the head. Officer Wheeler was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wound early the next morning. The suspect attempted to flee but was captured. The 17-year-old suspect and his 17-year-old accomplice were convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison on November 29, 1974. The accomplice was paroled in 1984. On February 18, 1985, he robbed a man at gunpoint and then raped his wife. He was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 30 years. The rape victim refused to go to court because she did not want others to know who she was. Officer Wheeler was a U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran and served with the Metro Nashville Police Department for one year.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-E9572792
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.
Officer Wheeler gave the Metro Nashville Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville 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 Metro Nashville Police Department

Location Nashville, TN

Platform Identity mnpd.davidson.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 6, 1973

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber

Offender Cause: Gunfire

Military Service

Raymond Leroy Wheeler served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer Raymond Leroy Wheeler 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Metro Nashville Police Department, 12 of 20 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Metro Nashville Police Department

of 20 officers

60% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious