Roll of Honor
Incident
Guard Edward Ross was killed in a vehicle crash on Route 29 in Hurt, Virginia, while rushing a bloodhound to the scene of a manhunt in Campbell County at about 1:30 am.
Two prisoners had escaped from State Convict Camp 9, near Rustburg, and were thought to still be in the area along with three escapees from another prison camp. Guard Ross and a prison camp trusty had gone to State Convict Camp 15, near Chatham, to pick up another trusty and a bloodhound to assist in the search. They were returning to Rustburg to join the manhunt when their vehicle left the roadway on a sharp curve after passing below a railroad overpass.
Guard Ross suffered fatal injuries in the crash. One trusty and the bloodhound suffered severe injuries in the crash, while the second trusty was uninjured.
Several hours earlier, the superintendent of State Convict Camp 9 and a Campbell County sheriff's deputy had also been injured in a separate crash while responding to the manhunt.
Guard Ross was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and had served with the Virginia State Convict Road Force for three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, parents, four brothers, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-B15A90E0- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Guard Ross gave the Virginia State Convict Road Force 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Richmond community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Edward William Ross served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Guard Edward William Ross is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.
At Virginia State Convict Road Force, 3 of 9 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Edward William Ross's cause is highlighted.
How Edward William Ross Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Edward William Ross is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Virginia State Convict Road Force are honored on badge.nw.
