Deputy Sheriff William Haywood Webb, Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

Deputy Sheriff William Haywood Webb

Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

End of Watch Tuesday, October 6, 1964

William Haywood Webb

Deputy Webb succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained three days earlier while responding to assist a local constable make an arrest in Speed, North Carolina. The constable had attempted to arrest a man for being drunk but the man resisted arrest.

As the the constable the town mayor swore out a warrant the man's brother went home and retrieved a 12-gauge shotgun. The brother returned with the shotgun just as Deputy Webb pulled up to the location. When Deputy Webb exited his patrol car the suspect shot him in the head. Deputy Webb was transported to Duke Hospital in Durham where he died three days later.

The suspect was arrested a short time later by Edgecombe County ABC officers who responded to the scene. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on January 20th, 1965. He was released on August 8th, 1984.

Deputy Webb was a US Army veteran and had served with the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office for three years. He had previously served with the Edgecombe County ABC Enforcement for two years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, parents, brother, and sister.

Bio

Age 30
Tour 5 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Incident Date Saturday, October 3, 1964
Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge
Offender Released after 19 years

Most Recent Reflection

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I was sworn in with the Edgecombe County Sheriffs Office on August 3, 2017. It is my first job in law enforcement. I do come from a line of law enforcement officers though. I wanted to stop by and express my gratitude to you. I’m not from Edgecombe County but rather Raleigh, NC. I pass by your picture in our hallways every day at the office. I am also assigned to your area. I travel through Speed everyday I work. Speed probably hasn’t changed much since you were killed within its limits but I enforce the laws in the tiny little town just as you did. You would love to see the Edgecombe County Sheriffs Office today. Our new Sheriff is a retired State Trooper who worked Edgecombe County for 20+ years and is a fine man. We have a lot of great equipment and a lot of great deputies. To my knowledge, there were only 6 lawmen in the Sheriffs Office in your day and that includes the Sheriff. Now we are 100+ strong with sworn Deputy’s. We have around 30 Deputy’s assigned to the Patrol Division and 12 assigned to Investigations. You’ll never be forgotten.

Deputy Sheriff Joshua Bulloch
Edgecombe County Sheriffs Office, NC

March 3, 2018