Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Luther Pannett was accidentally shot and killed while investigating a suspicious noise in the cell block.
He and his wife lived in the Sheriff's Quarters in the Frederick County Jail at 317 S Cameron Street. At approximately 4:45 am Sheriff Pannett heard a noise coming from the cell block area upstairs. After obtaining his .32 caliber service revolver and flashlight, the sheriff went upstairs to investigate.
Mrs. Pannett said she heard no further noise from the direction of the staircase until a few minutes later when she heard the sound of a gunshot.
Running to the head of the stairs, Mrs. Pannett called to her husband but only received a sort of a groan. She went to the top of the steps where she found Sheriff Pannett lying on the floor of the landing unconscious with a gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to Winchester Memorial Hospital where he died later that day.
An investigation concluded that Sheriff Pannett slipped and fell on the steps of the jail and dropped his revolver, which discharged, sending a bullet into his brain. The death was ruled accidental.
Sheriff Pannett had served with the Frederick County Sheriff's Office for over 20 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-1C6A6D56- 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
20 years. You could have gone home.
Sheriff Pannett gave the Frederick County Sheriff's Office 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Winchester community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Pannett.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Luther Pannett is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.
At Frederick County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Luther Pannett's cause is highlighted.
How Luther Pannett Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Luther Pannett is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Frederick County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
