Coffee County Sheriff's Office, Georgia
End of Watch Thursday, September 26, 1963
Add to My HeroesHerman Edward Smith
Deputy Sheriff Herman Smith was shot and killed after making a traffic stop on US 441, between Douglas and Broxton, at 10:30 pm.
He had placed the driver of the vehicle and his wife in the back of his patrol car and called for a tow truck. When the tow truck arrived the driver found Deputy Smith slumped over the wheel of his patrol car with four gunshot wounds in his back. The subject had shot him through the cage in the patrol car with a .25 caliber handgun and then broke through the back window with his wife to escape.
The man and his wife were tracked by bloodhounds to their home nearby and apprehended. An investigation revealed Deputy Smith was writing a traffic citation to the man for a minor violation when he was shot. The suspect's wife had a gun in her pocketbook that she gave to her husband. The man admitted that he shot Deputy Smith, but both refused to say why Deputy Smith placed them in the back of his car.
The man, 59, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled on February 11, 1971.
Deputy Smith is survived by his wife and four children. He was a police officer with the Broxton Police Department for 16 years and was chief when he left and went with the Coffee County Sheriff's Office in 1963.
Bio
- Age 52
- Tour 2 months
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Handgun; .25 caliber
- Offender Paroled in 1971
Most Recent Reflection
View all 10 ReflectionsRest in peace always and know that your service and sacrifice will never, ever be forgotten by your law enforcement brethren.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police (Retired)
September 26, 2020
Recent LODD Deaths
Detective Clarence E. Word, III
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: October 1, 2024
Trooper Corey S. Thompsen
Illinois State Police, IL
EOW: October 18, 2024
Detective Maurice "Mo" Joseph
Norfolk Police Department, VA
EOW: October 9, 2024
Corrections Officer Bradford D. McNew
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, FL
EOW: October 12, 2024
Corporal Raymond Kuuchi
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services, US
EOW: September 2, 2024
Park Ranger Kevin Melvin Grossheim
United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, US
EOW: October 6, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Lex Allen Love
Wise County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: October 2, 2024
Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia
Cameron County Constable's Office - Precinct 1, TX
EOW: September 30, 2024
Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez-Vasquez
Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, TX
EOW: September 28, 2024