In Memory of Senior Inspector Jared Keyworth

On October 1, 2021, the US Department of Justice briefed the nation that the US Marshals Service had lost a Senior Inspector in the line of duty. Senior Inspector Jared Keyworth, age 42, died due to injuries he had received days earlier. Keyworth had served in law enforcement for the past eleven years.

Inspector Keyworth was in Mississippi to participate in a law enforcement mission. During this trip, Keyworth was involved in a collision near US Route 49 and Monmouth Road in Florence, Mississippi. His injuries were severe, and Keyworth was flown to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Unfortunately, despite life-saving treatment, Keyworth succumbed to his wounds after three days.

Keyworth wanted to go into a life of civil service while still in high school. After graduation, he signed up with the US Army. Keyworth is a US Army veteran. As a soldier, he was selected to escort the riderless horse during President Reagan’s funeral.

After his time in the service, Keyworth joined the US Marshals Service, which he committed to for the past eleven years. His most recent work was with the Investigative Operations Division in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

US Department of Justice

Keyworth chose to become an inspector with the Marshals Service, overseen by the US Department of Justice. The DOJ was formed in 1871. It was developed under Ulysses S. Grant. Several agencies fall under the oversight of the DOJ, including the FBI, US Marshals Service, the DEA, and the ATF. The department also has oversight over law enforcement agencies’ conduct, which falls under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

The DOJ follows the motto; “Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur.” This phrase translates into “Who prosecutes on behalf of justice.” The modern DOJ has more than 113,000 employees.

US Marshals Service

The US Marshals Service is the federal law enforcement agency. Keyworth was a sworn officer with the department. USMS is most commonly described as “the enforcement arm of the United States federal courts to ensure the effective operation of the judiciary and integrity of the Constitution.” The agency was formed by the judiciary act of 1789 – signed into place by President George Washington.

Senior Inspectors with the Marshals Service could have a range of tasks and responsibilities. The title is awarded to highly skilled criminal investigators, Witness Protection Program, or Marshals assigned to Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Remembrances

USMS Director Ronald L. Davis shared a statement about the loss. “The loss of SI Keyworth deeply saddens the US Marshals Service. We are a close-knit family, and Jared’s loss will be felt throughout the entire organization. This tragedy is a reminder of the inherent risks our men and women face on a daily basis.”

US Marshals Service posted the details of the loss on social media. “We are deeply saddened to announce the loss of Deputy U.S. Marshal/Senior Inspector Jared Keyworth. He passed away Oct 1. due to severe injuries sustained in a vehicle accident on Sept. 28, while assisting in an enforcement mission near Florence, Mississippi.”

Slidell Fire Department assisted in escorting Keyworth home. “Our condolences go out to Deputy US Marshal Jared Keyworth, Senior Inspector, who was killed in the line of duty. We are grateful to be able to pay our respects by flying the flag as his remains are transported to Audubon Funeral Home in Slidell.”