Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Rest in peace Special Agent Pierce.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

April 12, 2019

A little over 29 years ago we graduated Basic Agent Class. You were a great friend to everyone and we hit it off because we both loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing. You are missed but never forgotten.

SAC Greg Ramey
GBI

December 3, 2014

Troy,
It seems like yesterday you were taken from us. As a Region Five Agent your impact in the community has not been forgotton. My prayers and thoughts are with you and family. Thank you for your service.

SA John Barry
Georgia Bureau of Investigation

December 2, 2014

Rest in Peace, Special Agent Pierce. Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Officer 11169

March 30, 2012

Your heroism and service is honored today, the 12th anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.

I pray for the solace of all those who love and miss you, especially your family. The pain and pride are forever.

Rest In Peace

Phyllis Loya
mother fallen officer Larry Lasater

December 2, 2009

"The Badge"

He starts his shift each day
To respond to calls unknown.
He drives a marked patrol car.
A police officer he is known.

He's paid by the citizens' taxes
To make it safe on the streets.
But he usually has a second job
'Cause a waitress has his salary beat.

Now he doesn't know a holiday
'Cause he works all year round.
And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive
At his home he cannot be found.

He's cursed and assaulted often,
The one whos blood runs blue.
He seldom ever gets a thanks,
To some he's just a fool.

His friends are always other cops
'Cause people just don't understand
That underneath his badge and gun,
He's just another man.

He knows there might not be a tomorrow
In this world of drugs and crime.
And he gets so mad at the court system
'Cause the crooks don't get any time.

And each day when he leaves for work,
He prays to God above.
Please bring me home after my shift
So I can see the ones I love.

But tonight he stops a speeding car,
He's alone down this ole' highway.
It's just a little traffic infraction.
He does it everyday.

Well, he walks up to the driver's window,
And his badge is shining bright.
He asked the guy for a driver's license,
When a shot rang through the night.

Yes, the bullet hit its mark,
Striking the officer in the chest.
But the Department's budget didn't buy
Each officer a bullet-proof vest.

So he lay on the ground bleeding.
His blood wasn't blue - His blood was red.
And briefly he thought of his loved ones
'Cause in a moment the officer was dead.

In the news they told the story
Of how this officer had died.
And some who listened cared less,
But those who loved him cried.

Well, they buried him in uniform
With his badge pinned on his chest.
He even had his revolver,
He died doing his best.

Written By:
David L. Bell
Sergeant
Richland County Sheriff's Department
Columbia, South Carolina
Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © 1999 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

Investigator David L Bell
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

December 26, 2007

You are remembered today and thank you Sir for your service

Pat Van Den Berghe, Manchester, NH
Neighbors for a Better Manchester, NH

December 3, 2007

Troy,

I apologize for taking so long to leave this here. I just found this capability and wanted to echo the words of Wally, David and Herschell. Even to this day, I still think about you. I remember the first time we met, when I was a new Narcotics Agent, fresh out of the academy in 1982. My training partner was one of your best friends, Bruce Miller. It was through Bruce, that I came to know you so well. I'll never forget the hunting trip that you, Bruce and I went on at Sheriff Lewis Parker's property in Appling County. Sleeping in the hay barn, and having that DNR Ranger come by wondering what us 3 "long-haired freeks" were doing on the Sheriff's place.

I remember you and I working together during my last U/C investigation with the Local Violators Squad in 1984. We were in Gainesville, GA training 4 new Narcs fresh out of the academy.

When I returned to the GBI as a Special Agent in 1990, I remember talking the few times that we rean into each other. I remember laying in the hosptial, where I was recovering from my injuries received a couple of days earlier, hearing that you had been injured in the wreck. I rember having them dial the number to your hospital, hoping to speak to someone there and ask about you. I still remember my shock hearing you answer the phone and then wanting to know what I was doing checking on you when you felt you needed to be checking on me.

I will never forget the last time we saw each other. At the GBI Awards Ceremony in Forsyth. I remember that all we could do for the first couple of minutes was stand there and hug each other.

I remember your funeral... I only hope that when the Lord calls me home, that I will have left a positive mark on half as many lives that you have. It was obvious that day.

To your family. Always be proud of your father, husband, and son. He was truly a great police officer and an even greater person. God Bless you and keep you.

I miss you Bud.

Pete C. Chambers, Special Agent (Ret.)
Georgia Bureau of Investigation

November 8, 2007

Troy,
You always stood heads above the rest, as a person and an Agent. Never too busy to help lead those of us in need of guidance and wisdom.
May God wrap his consoling arms around your family, and take you by the hand, as he leads you, like you lead many of us in LVS.

Herschell Hires
Former GBI LVS Agent

June 25, 2007

Your partner and best friend, David Dyal, has been named Chief of Enforcement for the Georgia Department of Revenue. I talked with David and congratulated him on his new position. While we talked, we reminisced about when you and David worked undercover dope investigations on the old GBI Local Violators Squad which I once supervised. We shared some big laughs and neither of us will ever forget our fond times of working with you and being your friend. Had you survived your injuries and been able to return to work I feel confident that you would have been at least a Special Agent in Charge by now and leading young agents in the war on drugs. I understand from David that your family is doing well, but they, like all of your friends miss you deeply. Your bro, Col. Wally

SAC Walt Brooks
Georgia Bureau of Investigation

July 1, 2006

Troy Pierce and David Dyal....great men and even greater law enforcement officers! A little story about these guys. I was working in Internal Affairs and Director Phil Peters and Deputy Director Robbie Hamrick loaned me out to Commissioner Joe Tanner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources where I was placed in charge of DNR Internal Affairs.
A Captain in DNR law enforcment, along with one of his Sergeants came to see me in DNR HQ at the Trinity-Washington Building in Atlanta one day shortly after I had started working there. They told me of a Ranger that worked for them that they knew was "dirty" but did not know how to catch him in the act of breaking the laws of Georgia. We put our heads together and came up with a scenario that would put a GBI Agent in the woods of south Georgia as an illegal night hunter to see what the crooked police would do when he confronted the covert Agent. I informed Commissioner Tanner what we intended to do and we both called Phil to see if I could borrow an Agent to work with us on this. Phil told me to get any agent I needed. I called Troy Pierce because unlike myself, I knew that he was a great outdoors man with lots of hunting and fishing experience. David Dyal was with Troy at the time and I knew that they were best friends because both had worked for me buying narcotics while undercover. Troy talked me into allowing David to go with him on this investigation and I thought it was a great idea for both their safety, and later testifying in court.
The DNR Rangers and I met with Troy and David and gave them five dead racoons from a furier in Griffin, GA. Butch (the DNR Captin) had injected a green dye in the reproductive glands of the racoons in order for us to have later identification of our racoons versus other dead racoons. We gave the racoons to Troy and David and I gave them a little speech about how anything could happen, particularly if the crooked Ranger got on to them while in the woods, in the middle of the night. I put a bug on them just to make sure everything went according to the plans.
Sure enough, the crooked Ranger comes upon them while they are out "night hunting." The Ranger writes them up and takes them to jail, entering only one dead racoon and one dead opossum on the evidence sheet. After getting the Agents out of the pokey, I asked them where the opossum had come from. David said something to the effect, "well Troy said if we had to be out here in the middle of the night we might as well do something to make our cover story go even better. So we killed an opossum and put it in the truck with the racoons." I was mad, but thought back to some of the improvisations that I had conducted during undercover drug investigations when I was buying dope of the street, and got over it quickly.
Long story short, the Captain and the Sergeant found the furier that the crooked Ranger had taken the other four racoons to in order to sell them and pocket the money. After taking a sworn statement from the furier (who did not want to cooperate since the crooked Ranger was a big source of income for his business) the Ranger was arrested by other GBI Agents. The Ranger was indicted by the county Gran Jury and later found guilty in Superior Court, and sentenced to prison.
Director Phil Peters and Commissioner Joe Tanner thanked Troy and David for their good work on this case. They were a great set of partners. I thanked the guys for doing a good job and Troy told me that if I ever needed their help again with something like this to please let him know.
I didn't attend Troy's funeral. I volunteered to help man the GBI Office in Conyers during the funeral in case any calls came in for assistance during that time. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Troy so I'm doing it now. Thanks Troy for all of your great work for the GBI and the citizens of the Great State of Georgia for all those years. You were a great undercover agent and I was proud to have known you and to have worked with you. God Bless you and your family. Col. Wally

SAC Walton G. Brooks GBI 28
Georgia Bureau of Investigation

March 19, 2006

TROY LAYNE PIERCE, Sr.

Born - June 24, 1962
Died - December 2, 1997

Buried - December 4, 1997 at Zion Baptist Church located at the intersection of Hwy. 20 and Hwy. 212, Newton County, Georgia

Recently, a friend, fellow law enforcement officer, and a true brother died. His name was Troy Layne Pierce, Sr., he was 35 years old. Troy had a beautiful wife, Taye and three children. His eldest, a son Troy Layne, Jr., 10, his second and only daughter, Tory, 7, and his youngest, another son Travis, 6. Troy had died as a result of complications from an auto accident he was involved in while on duty. He died 6 months to the day, after the accident.

I’ve known and loved Troy for the past 17 plus years. We were partners working as undercover Narcotic Agents for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Troy was just a young 18 years old when he was hired by the GBI in 1980. He and I worked together for the GBI for the next 4 years, where we both grew up and matured. After 4 years, I moved on to another State Law Enforcement Agency and Troy continued working with the GBI as a Special Agent. Troy and I kept in daily contact with each other, either in person or on the phone for the past 17 years. Troy and I would go hunting or just go to the woods together every chance we had. We would plan our outdoor trips months in advance, or sometimes on the spur of the minute. A trip could last a few hours or a week. Our wives had a saying, “ THAT IN THE FIRST 4 YEARS OF OUR MARRIAGES, TROY AND I SPENT MORE TIME TOGETHER THAN WE DID WITH OUR OWN WIVES. ”

As a result of his accident, Troy had to retire on disability from the GBI. Troy officially retired on November 1, 1997, with 17 years of creditable service due to an injury acquired "IN THE LINE OF DUTY".

"IN THE LINE OF DUTY", Troy never did like that phrase for his injuries. He was invited to a ceremony the GBI held a few months ago for Agents who have been injured in the line of duty. Some of the Agents that attended had been shot and most recently had been injured during the 1996 Olympic bombing. Troy said that he felt embarrassed about being mentioned or honored with these Agents. He was just in a car accident, not a chase, shoot-out, or a fight, just an accident. But Troy had been in shot at, had been in chases, injured on duty twice before, and was on duty in a state vehicle doing a state function when he had his accident. So Troy shouldn’t have felt embarrassed, he had been through a lot in his short 17 years with the Bureau. Half of his life has been with the Bureau and he should be proud. Because never has a better man ever walked through the halls of the Bureau than Special Agent Troy L. Pierce, Sr. .

But Troy was never able to cash his first retirement check. Troy received his first check on December 1st and died on December 2nd.

I last spoke to Troy the afternoon of Monday, December 1, 1997. He had just gotten home from a doctor's appointment. He was upbeat, the doctor had told him that they were going to give him a replacement elbow in February or March. Troy was happy that the surgery was going to be after the holidays. He couldn’t remember if the doctor was going to put in a plastic, metal or a transplant joint. He was just glad that after that surgery, his pain might be eased.

I use to think that there were only three people on the face of this earth who really knew Troy. That was, his wife, Taye, his father, Bobby, and Me. But after the funeral, hearing what speakers had to say about Troy, hearing what other friends had to say, and finding out what Troy had done within the past few weeks. I now know that Troy was really known and loved by hundreds.

Since Troys' death was so sudden, a few people have asked me if Troy knew he was dying. After hearing from others about what Troy had said and done within the past weeks, I thought about things Troy had said to me and what he had done with me within the past weeks. I began to realize something, Troy may not have known physically or emotionally that he may be dying, BUT, spiritually he must have. Because, Troy was taking care of business and cleaning up any loose ends.

All I can say is “ HEY DUDE, I LOVE YOU MAN! ”

David Dyal, Special Agent
Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco

August 19, 2005

Not forgotten. Thank you for your service.

March 29, 2005