Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Edwin Blair Butler was shot while he and two other officers were serving a search warrant on a suspected moonshine operation on August 9, 1922.
Sheriff Butler was taken to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Hospital in Clifton Forge where he died of his injuries on August 12, 1922.
His murderer was arrested the next month and at trial was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Sheriff Butler had been elected to the Office of Sheriff in 1919.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-0E35ADCF- 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 Butler gave the Alleghany County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Covington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Butler.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Edwin Blair Butler 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 VA, 395 of 654 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Alleghany County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Edwin Blair Butler's cause is highlighted.
How Edwin Blair Butler Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Edwin Blair Butler is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Edwin Blair Butler was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Alleghany County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
