Constable Grady Dillehay

Grady Dillehay

Constable Grady Dillehay was shot and killed as he and two state troopers attempted to arrest an escapee from the county workhouse. The man had escaped while working on a chain gang.

The troopers and Constable Dillehay went to the man's home on the Santa Fe Highway, two miles north of Columbia, shortly after midnight and yelled out to him to surrender. When he asked if they had a warrant, Constable Dillehay responded that they did. The man then fired a 20-gauge shotgun out the window, striking Constable Dillehay in the face.

Constable Dillehay was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The suspect surrendered to officers about 30 minutes after the shooting.

The suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison. He was eventually paroled and died in 2006.

Constable Dillehay had been elected constable of the Ninth District in 1960 and had previously served as a deputy with the Maury County Sheriff's Office. He is survived by his wife, two step-children, brother, sister, half-brother, and mother.