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Betty Dunn Smothers
Corporal

Betty Dunn Smothers

Baton Rouge Police Department — Baton Rouge, LA
Felonious
United States flag Louisiana flag
End of Watch January 7, 1993
Age 36
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
The Vigil Panel 138 ›
Gender Female
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 26

Incident

Corporal Betty Smothers was shot and killed in an ambush attack while moonlighting as a security guard. Corporal Smothers was in uniform and driving a marked patrol car when she and the store manager went to a bank on Jefferson Highway to make a night deposit. As they sat in the patrol car, three suspects approached and opened fire. They fatally wounded Corporal Smothers and injured the manager. All three suspects were arrested after the incident. The driver was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The shooter and the man who injured the manager were sentenced to death for Corporal Smothers' murder. In 2016, the shooter was resentenced to life in prison, and in 2023, he was denied clemency. Corporal Smothers had served with the Baton Rouge City Police Department for 14 years.

Survivors

She is survived by her two daughters and four sons.

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.
Corporal Smothers gave the Baton Rouge Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baton Rouge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corporal Smothers.

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

Agency

Department Baton Rouge Police Department
Type Other
Location Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
Platform Identity brpd.ebr.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 7, 1993
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 36
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1993, 101 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 51st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Betty was 36. 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. Betty had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

Baton Rouge Police Department has 27 officers remembered here, Betty among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Corporal Betty Dunn Smothers

Baton Rouge Police Department · End of Watch January 7, 1993

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 7-E

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