J. Peyton Stewart

Petersburg Bureau of Police — Petersburg, VA

Felonious

End of Watch May 25, 1927

Age 57

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 53 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Detective J. Peyton Stewart was shot and killed while investigating two brothers who were loitering near Halifax Street in the city's New Market district. After a brief struggle, Detective Stewart began to arrest one of the brothers. The other suspect then shot and killed Detective Stewart and wounded a bystander. One brother was sentenced to death and executed in May 1928. The other brother was originally sentenced to 15 years, but the sentence was overturned. Detective Stewart had served with the Petersburg Police Department for 20 years.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-75A050F0
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.
Detective Stewart gave the Petersburg Bureau of Police 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Stewart.

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

Agency

Department Petersburg Bureau of Police

Location Petersburg, VA

Platform Identity petepd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 25, 1927

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 57

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed

Detective J. Peyton Stewart 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 Petersburg Bureau of Police, 5 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.

Petersburg Bureau of Police

of 7 officers

71.4% Felonious

VA — Statewide

395

of 654 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious