Leanna Lehman
Churchill County lost its sheriff Saturday, a man who spent nearly 30 years serving the community he called home.
Sheriff Richard C. Hickox Jr. died April 11, 2026, following a prolonged battle with cancer, closing out a 28-year career with the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office.
Hickox began his career in the detention center and gained experience across patrol, investigations, and leadership roles before being elected sheriff. It was a path that shaped how he led, not from a distance, but from experience and a clear understanding of the demands of the job, and something he never forgot.
Pictured right: Escort home for Sheriff Richard Hickox. Photo by Lori Kaiser.
His job as sheriff and as a law enforcement officer was far more than an occupation. It was part of who he was and how he reflected his love for his community.
“I’m very close to this community, it’s the community that I love, and I have fought for and will continue to fight for,” Hickox said during a 2022 Candidates’ Night appearance.
And he did, right up until the end.
The words he spoke that night were not simply a campaign message. They were who he was and how he approached the job.
Hickox believed leadership meant being present, whether that was in the field, in the jail, or alongside his deputies.
“I love my community, and I want to help so I am very much a hands-on kind of guy who is commonly found at the office at odd hours and on weekends,” he said. “I strongly believe in the mantra of management by walking around, so I will randomly show up on calls for service or come in early and pass out meals in the jail, do walkthroughs of the facility and search a cell or two.”
That presence extended to every part of the role he held. For Sheriff Richard Hickox, responsibility did not stop at enforcement. It included accountability and a duty of care for the people the community he served, as well as to those placed in his custody.
He expressed great concern for the well-being of his deputies, understanding the physical and emotional toll of law enforcement. He advocated for training and resources to help officers manage stress, burnout, and the long-term impacts of the uniform, encouraging them to care for themselves and their families as seriously as they approached their duties.
Colleagues said that approach reflected a leadership style grounded not only in experience, but in a passion for the job, the people doing it, and the community they served.
Hickox recognized the importance of working together, believing strong relationships between agencies were essential to serving and protecting a rural community. “We must share, we must aid each other to properly serve and protect this community and visitors,” he said.
At the center of it all was a steady belief in the principles that guided him through his career and his life.
He held a steady belief in the rule of law and the importance of truth, often expressing that the system, when followed as intended, should ultimately reflect both.
Outside of his role as sheriff, Hickox was active in his church and community, and he served on the board of the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association, where he recently completed a term as president.
The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office, in announcing his passing, said, “He will be missed not only by his immediate family but also by his brothers and sisters in blue, whom he has dedicated his life to serving for so many years.”
Hickox is survived by his wife, Barbara, a local schoolteacher, and their two daughters, both graduates of Churchill County High School.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
For many in Churchill County, Hickox will be remembered as more than just an elected sheriff, but for the way he did the job, his love for his hometown, and his commitment to the people in it.
Pictured above left: Residents honor the passing of Sheriff Richard Hickox as his body is escorted home from Reno. Photo by Lori Kaiser.
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