Samuel Anderson Pickels

Virginia Department of Corrections — Richmond, VA

Felonious

End of Watch July 23, 1971

Age 65

The Vigil Panel 108 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 15

Incident

Supervisor Samuel Pickels was strangled to death in the Virginia State Penitentiary's metal shop by unknown assailants.

An inmate located his body on the shop floor and alerted other officers.

Supervisor Pickels had served with the Virginia Department of Corrections for 21 years and supervised the metal shop.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-31548667
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.
Supervisor Pickels served with the Virginia Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Supervisor Pickels.

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

Agency

Department Virginia Department of Corrections

Location Richmond, VA

Platform Identity vdcorr.richmond.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 23, 1971

Age 65

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Offender Not available

Supervisor Samuel Anderson Pickels 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 Virginia Department of Corrections, 8 of 16 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Virginia Department of Corrections

of 16 officers

50% Felonious

VA — Statewide

395

of 654 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious