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Samuel Enoch Vaughn
Agency patch
Deputy U.S. Marshal

Samuel Enoch Vaughn

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch August 8, 1953
Age 54
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 89 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal Samuel Vaughn was killed in Bartow County, Georgia, while transporting two prisoners from Tennessee to the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. Three days earlier both were convicted of interstate auto theft and sentenced to 5 years each. The two prisoners were some how able to overpower Deputy Marshal Vaughn and his partner. At some point the suspects shot Deputy Marshal Vaughn several times and left his body on the side of U.S. 41, near Adairsville, in front of the home of a farmer, who witnessed the incident. They held the other deputy marshal as a hostage as they continued to flee. A few minutes later they set their hostage free and abandoned the car near Adairsville. Four days later the suspects, 25 and 31, were apprehended by several National Guardsmen, officers, and FBI Agents. Both were convicted of murder. One was sentenced to life and the youngest, who shot and killed Marshal Vaughn, was sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life and in 1955 he was sent to Alcatraz. Deputy Marshal Vaughan had served in several law enforcement positions in his 20-year career.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Vaughn gave the United States Department of Justice 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy U.S. Marshal Vaughn.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 8, 1953
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Samuel is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

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

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1953, 72 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 98th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Samuel was 54. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Samuel had served 20 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service has at least 120 officers remembered here, Samuel among them.

Across the years

Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Enoch Vaughn

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service · End of Watch August 8, 1953

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-W

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