Roll of Honor
Incident
Town Sergeant James Taylor succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day in a shootout with a man wanted for a double shooting.
The previous shooting occurred earlier in the evening at a local dance hall. A subject had shot two men after fighting over a woman. All three men involved in the shooting were mess attendants at the Cherrystone Naval Base.
Sergeant Taylor, along with several sailors from the naval base, located the subject hiding in a house. As Sergeant Taylor entered a room to make the arrest, the man opened fire, striking him in the arm, leg, and stomach.
Despite exchanging shots with the sailors, the suspect was able to evade capture at that time. Sergeant Taylor was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital, in Norfolk, where he died the following day.
The suspect was arrested in Wilmington, Delaware, several days later and extradited to Virginia. He was convicted of Sergeant Taylor's murder, sentenced to death, and subsequently executed on June 27, 1919.
Sergeant Taylor had served with the Cape Charles Police Department for 15 years and had previously served as a lifesaver for the United States Life-Saving Service at Smith Island. He was survived by his wife and eight children. He is buried at Cape Charles Cemetery, Northhampton County, Virginia.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and eight children.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-VA-33C5E484- Stewardship
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- 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.
Town Sergeant Taylor gave the Cape Charles Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cape Charles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Sergeant Taylor.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Town Sergeant James A. Taylor 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James A. Taylor's cause is highlighted.
How James A. Taylor Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1919
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James A. Taylor is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James A. Taylor was killed by handgun.