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Justice of the Peace

Bernard Le Cato

Accomack County Circuit Court — Accomac, VA

Felonious

End of Watch May 17, 1925

Age 49

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 49 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Justice of the Peace Bernard Le Cato was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a drunk man on a farm outside of Keller, Virginia.

The man had started a disturbance with another tenant on the farm and Justice Le Cato was called from home to respond to it. He was placing the man under arrest when the subject disarmed him and shot him with his own service weapon. The man fled after shooting Justice Le Cato but was arrested several days later. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Justice Le Cato had served as a justice of the peace and magistrate for Accomack County for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-3877317C
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.
Justice of the Peace Le Cato gave the Accomack County Circuit Court 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Accomac community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Justice of the Peace Le Cato.

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

Agency

Department Accomack County Circuit Court

Location Accomac, VA

Platform Identity accc.accomack.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 17, 1925

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 49

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Sentenced to 20 years

Justice of the Peace Bernard Le Cato 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%.

Accomack County Circuit Court

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

VA — Statewide

395

of 654 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bernard Le Cato's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Bernard Le Cato Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 20 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Bernard Le Cato is highlighted in May.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Bernard Le Cato was killed by officer's handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518