Walter Leslie Francis
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Walter Leslie Francis

Accident
End of Watch May 20, 1935
Age 48
Tour of Duty 7 yrs 3 mo
The Vigil Panel 69 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Walter Francis was accidentally shot and killed while searching for armed robbery suspects at 81 Independence Avenue (modern-day Matthews Drive) in Lincoln Heights. When Deputy Francis and other officers were searching for an armed suspect he went to remove his shotgun from the trunk of the patrol car when it discharged. The blast struck him in the abdomen, killing him instantly. Deputy Francis had served with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office for three months and previously served with the Cincinnati Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his brother and sister.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Francis gave the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Francis.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH
Platform Identity hcso.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 20, 1935
Tour of Duty 7 yrs 3 mo
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Walter is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1935, 99 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 8th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Walter was 48. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Walter had served 7.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office has 14 officers remembered here, Walter among them.

VI

Where

Deputy Sheriff Walter Leslie Francis

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office · End of Watch May 20, 1935

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 30-E

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