Berry Hensley
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Berry Hensley

Felonious
End of Watch September 26, 1931
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Berry Hensley was shot and killed from ambush near his home in Smith, Kentucky.

Two suspects shot him in the back with a shotgun and then fled into the mountains. The two suspects were arrested in connection with his murder but later released due to insufficient evidence. On September 4, 1932, one was stuck and killed by a train near Smith.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Hensley served with the Harlan County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Harlan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hensley.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Harlan, Harlan County, KY
Platform Identity hcso.harlan.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 26, 1931
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Berry is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1931, 221 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Berry was 44. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

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

When

September holds 9.1% 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 shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Harlan County Sheriff's Office has 36 officers remembered here, Berry among them.

Deputy Sheriff Berry Hensley

Harlan County Sheriff's Office · End of Watch September 26, 1931

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 3-W

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