State Constable Valdon Osborn Keith, South Carolina State Constable, South Carolina

State Constable Valdon Osborn Keith

South Carolina State Constable, South Carolina

End of Watch Thursday, November 28, 1985

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Valdon Osborn Keith

Constable Valdon Keith was shot and killed while chasing armed robbery suspects on State Park Road, near Worley Road, in Greenville County.

The two suspects had robbed the Family Mart on East North Street and were escaping when they were spotted by deputies. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle on State Park Road. One police vehicle was in front of the suspect vehicle when the suspect vehicle pulled to the right of Constable Keith's vehicle and opened fire with a 9mm handgun, killing him.

One of the suspects was captured a few days later. He had recently been paroled from the South Carolina State Prison after serving a sentence for armed robbery. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life plus 25 years. In 1994 he and a fellow inmate escaped from prison. He was captured in Louisiana not long after his story aired on "America's Most Wanted". He died in prison of a heart attack August 7th, 2005.

Bio

Age 46
Tour 5 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; 9 mm
Offender Died in prison

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I remember that night as if it were yesterday.... I was a young dispatcher working that night with Mary Swofford on main channel.... I had the somber duty of calling Sheriff Brown and informing him what was going on during the incident. Even as I was only a dispatcher at that time, I and another dispatcher rode around all night looking for that vehicle.... Rest Easy Bro....

Cpl. J. S Duncan
S. C Highway Patrol

November 28, 2019