Escambia County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch Friday, April 7, 1978
Add to My HeroesMorley G. "Buddy" Ray
Deputy Ray was shot and killed while moonlighting as a security guard. Five men entered the Winn Dixie grocery store to commit a robbery and upon seeing him, approached from behind and shot him in the back of the head.
All five suspects were apprehended. The shooter was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. In 1982 his sentence was commuted to life with no possibility of parole for 25 years. He died in prison on September 17, 2020. Of the other four, two were sentenced to life, and the other to 25 years.
Deputy Ray had been with the agency for two years.
Bio
- Age 39
- Tour 2 years
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender Died in prison
Most Recent Reflection
View all 14 ReflectionsRest in peace Deputy Sheriff Ray.
Rabbi Lewis S. Davis
December 21, 2019
Recent LODD Deaths
![Segus R. Jolivette](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27106/c_2024_jolivette.jpg)
Senior Corporal Segus R. Jolivette
Lafayette Police Department, LA
EOW: July 25, 2024
![Mohamed Said](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27101/police-officer-mohamed-said.jpg)
Corporal Mohamed Said
Melvindale Police Department, MI
EOW: July 21, 2024
![Edgar Ordonez](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27100/c_edgar-ordonez.jpg)
Probationary Police Officer Edgar Ordonez
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: July 10, 2024
![Robert William Sumner](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27096/c_robert-sumner.png)
Corporal Robert William Sumner
Oklahoma Department of Corrections, OK
EOW: July 14, 2024
![Matthew Bowen](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27095/police-officer-matthew-bowen.jpg)
Police Officer Matthew Bowen
Vacaville Police Department, CA
EOW: July 11, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Fernando Esqueda
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: July 11, 2024
![Kevin Linn Palmer](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27091/c_k._palmer.jpg)
Assistant Chief Kevin Linn Palmer
North Richland Hills Police Department, TX
EOW: May 1, 2024
![Jamieson Ritter](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27085/police-officer-jamieson-ritter.jpg)
Police Officer Jamieson Ritter
Cleveland Division of Police, OH
EOW: July 4, 2024
![William Butler, Jr.](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27084/c_butler-bill.jpg)
Deputy Sheriff William Butler, Jr.
Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office, MI
EOW: June 27, 2024