Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Henry Yates succumbed to gunshot wound sustained the previous day while attempting to serve a warrant on the police chief of Honaker, Virginia. The warrant had been issued against the chief for being drunk in public.
The chief, accompanied by his brother, a local justice of the pease, confronted Deputy Yates as he walked along a street in Honaker. As Deputy Yates attempted to serve the warrant the chief opened fire. Despite being wounded, Deputy Yates returned fire, but did not strike the chief.
Deputy Yates was transported to Mattie Williams Hospital in Richlands, Virginia, where he died the following the day. The police chief was charged with murder and his brother was charged as an accessory. The chief was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was granted a new trial and was again convicted of murder but sentenced to 30 years on January 17, 1934. His brother was convicted of accessory to murder and sentenced to 20 years. He was also granted a new trial, the result of which is unknown.
Deputy Yates had served with the agency for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-6CF17624- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Yates gave the Russell County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Lebanon community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Yates.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Henry Yates 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 Russell County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 3 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. Henry Yates's cause is highlighted.
How Henry Yates Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 30 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry Yates is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry Yates was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Russell County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
