Everett Adams
Agency patch
Prohibition Officer

Everett Adams

Felonious
End of Watch July 27, 1927
Age 34
Tour of Duty 3 mo
The Vigil Panel 53 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Prohibition Officer Everett Adams was shot and killed by four men who had held a grudge against him due to his work as a prohibition officer.

Officer Adams was walking along a road in the Harts section of Logan County when he was accosted. One of the men held him at gunpoint as a second disarmed him. The armed man then opened fire on him, striking him four times as he attempted to flee. He was taken to a nearby house where he succumbed to his wounds the following day.

A man was later apprehended, charged and tried for his murder. On July 15, 1929, he was released from jail under a $10,000 bond when his trial ended with a hung jury. A date was set for a second trial which there is no record of.

Officer Adams had served with the West Virginia Department of Prohibition for only a few months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three children, and six siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-WV-0A120950
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.
Prohibition Officer Adams served with the West Virginia Department of Prohibition.
Thank you for your service to the Charleston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prohibition Officer Adams.

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

Agency

Location Charleston, WV
Platform Identity wvdpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 27, 1927
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Arrested

Prohibition Officer Everett Adams 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 WV, 169 of 232 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.8% of this state's fallen. That is 18.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At West Virginia Department of Prohibition, 12 of 13 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 92.3% of this agency's fallen.

West Virginia Department of Prohibition
12
of 13 officers
92.3% Felonious
WV — Statewide
169
of 232 officers
72.8% 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. Everett Adams'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 Everett Adams Compares

Age at End of Watch
34
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Arrested

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Everett Adams is highlighted in Jul.

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. Everett Adams was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518