ThinBlueNews remembers Deputy Sheriff Richard Coyle of the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky, whose End of Watch was Thursday, April 30, 2026.
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Deputy Coyle succumbed to gunshot wounds suffered while serving papers at a home on KY 365 in Sturgis. ODMP lists his line-of-duty death as gunfire and records his service as 30 years.
ODMP states that Deputy Coyle and other officers were serving emergency guardianship paperwork when they were met with gunfire. Officers returned fire, the suspect was killed, and Deputy Coyle was taken to Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, where he died four weeks later.
WPSD Local 6 reported that hundreds of officers, family members, friends, community members, students and faculty gathered at Rocket Arena to honor Deputy Coyle's life. The report described him as a Crittenden County deputy and school resource officer and said he was remembered for his service to the school district and the wider community.
ODMP says Deputy Coyle served two years with the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office as a school resource officer after 28 years with the Chicago Police Department. It lists his survivors as his wife, sister, and three nieces.
This remembrance is offered with respect for Deputy Coyle's family, the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office, the students and staff he protected, and the Kentucky law-enforcement community carrying his memory forward.
Deputy Coyle's End of Watch is a solemn reminder that serving communities, schools, and vulnerable families can carry real sacrifice, and that those who answer the call deserve to be remembered with dignity.
Support the organization preserving official memorial records
ThinBlueNews creates original remembrance pages to honor law-enforcement sacrifice. ODMP is the nonprofit maintaining the national officer memorial record and providing support resources connected to fallen officers and their families.
Sources and attribution
- ODMP memorial page: Deputy Sheriff Richard Coyle
- WPSD Local 6: Hundreds attend memorial for Crittenden County Deputy, SRO Richard Coyle
- ODMP donation page
Featured memorial image: ODMP profile portrait of Deputy Sheriff Richard Coyle with ThinBlueNews memorial overlay and source attribution. ThinBlueNews does not claim ownership of the source portrait.
If family, colleagues, or agency representatives see anything that should be corrected or updated, please contact ThinBlueNews through our corrections and editorial standards page.