Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

I retired last April from the Jacksonville Florida Sheriffs Office (JSO), as a Patrolman with 20 years service. Jim Landrum was my Fathers Uncle & my Grandmothers Brother. I met Jim Landrum's Grandson at my Grandmother Mays funeral and He sent me a copy of the police report. I sent a copy of the report to our Police Academy Staff, and want to say that the Officers involved could not have completed their task, 'To Serve And Protect', any better than they did!
I attended Jim Landrum's funeral, with my Father & Mother, Lamar & Vivian Thigpen, when I was 7 years old. It made a lasting impression on me, and I have always been so proud of my Great Uncle Jim's service. As it says in GOD'S Word in John 15:13, "Greater Love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for his friend ! Uncle Jim, You gave your life, here on this earth, for all law abiding, GOD fearing, Brothers & Sisters that came, and will come, behind You ! And, especially in the days we are living now, where Police Officers are hated and are targets of the criminal element in our society; We Salute You, Your Family, and Your Service !!

Larry Thigpen / Patrolman / Retired
Jacksonville Florida Sheriffs Office

September 5, 2015

Rest in peace Great Grandaddy, and know that your service and yourself will never be forgotten and appreciated. Im sorry that i never got a chance to meet you, but have heard many stories that in some way bring us to knowing each other.

With love and a solute:
James Blake Landrum

James Landrum

June 15, 2015

Rest in Peace, Patrolman Landrum. Your sacrifice is not forgotten.

Officer 11169

April 1, 2012

Your heroism and service is honored today, the 56th 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. The account of your murder and the shooting of his killer was riviting and I thank your grasndson for posting this historical account.

Rest In Peace.

Phyllis Loya
Mom of fallen California Officer Larry Lasater, Pittsburg PD, eow 4/24/05

February 29, 2012

Thinking of you and our great loss. You are in my heart.

Katherine Landrum Perry
Granddaughter

February 29, 2012

The following account of the death of Jim Landrum was written by Claude W. Herndon who at that time was a Georgia State Trooper, stationed at Georgia State Patrol Post # 21, located at Sylvania.

This is transcribed verbatim from hand written account of the death of Jim Landrum on February 29th and the suspect Gerald Peter Beaucaire on March 1st 1956.

"The following is a true story, one I shall never forget.

My name is Claude W. Herndon, I'm a State Trooper, stationed at Post # 21, Sylvania, Georgia. My friends called me "Red". I have served the State Patrol four years, I'm married and have a four month old son. I do not wish to ever forget the events of February 29th and March 1st 1956. I want to always remember that what happened to my good friend and fellow Peace Officer, Jim Landrum, could happen to me.

James H. Landrum, an officer of long experience, with only a few years to go before retirement, most likely to his farm near Avera, was fifty five years old. He was and one of the night Policeman for The City of Louisville.. Jim was a good officer and a true friend. We often shared a table for coffee at the Jefferson Hotel Coffee Shop. We often assisted each other in police matters. Jim Landrum was killed in the line of duty, February 29th 1956.

The time is between 9:30 and 10.00 P.M. I am alone in the office of GSP Post 21, completing an accident report. My tour of duty will end at 10 o'clock. The radio had been fairly quite, not much going on. All that changed as GSP Swainsboro broadcasted the following message.

Swainsboro, to all cars, all stations, be on lookout for two tone Buick occupied by one white male, subject shot and killed a policeman in Louisville a few minutes ago. Subject traveling south on US One, subject armed.

I telephoned my boss, Post Commander W.C. Mathews, advised him of the radio lookout. I requested that I be assigned to the man hunt detail. He advised me to get ready, he would come to the Post, pick me up and we would go towards Midville and set up a roadblock there in case the subject left US One. I check my shotgun, rifle and ammunition. I called Trooper P. L. Purvis request that he come to the Post to man the radio and telephone. He arrives, I tell him to call Midville Police, Millen Police & Jenkins County Sheriff Wilmer Taylor and any other police agency that may not have heard the radio broadcast from Swainsboro. Sgt. Mathews arrives at Post, he and I depart and head out towards Millen and Midville. In Millen we contact Millen Police and Jenkins County Policeman B. L. Cowart. Cowart rode with us as we traveled towards Midville on Georgia Highway # 17. The Millen Police will block Georgia #17 at Buckhead Creek bridge. Sheriff
Taylor would station himself at the intersection of US # 25 and Georgia # 17.

We were just almost in the city limits of Midville when we met two vehicles traveling east, towards Millen at a high rate of speed. One was a two tone Buick, the other was the Midville Police unit. I think we both said at about the same time, that's him. Sgt. Mathews turned our patrol car around and we joined in the chase. I picked up the radio microphone and excitedly shouted, Car 21-1 to all cars & stations, 10-3, 10-33, when the net cleared, after all stations had rebroadcasted my 10-3, 10-33 (Emergency traffic, all stations cease broadcasting, except those involved in the chase) I radioed Sheriff Taylor, advised him that we were in pursuit of the subject vehicle, that the Midville Police Unit was directly behind the subject vehicle, the Midville unit did not have a radio, we are traveling in speeds up to 100 miles per hour. I requested that Taylor and the Millen Police Officers block Buchead Creek Bridge, I requested that they place enough flairs, so as the Midville Officers would be warned of the roadblock. At that speed we would arrive at the road block very soon, we were not gaining any speed on the Buick. Sheriff Taylor radioed that he would block Buckhead Bridge, I again repeated my request for lots of flairs, we are corning in very fast. As we approached the roadblock, I could see the flairs, brake lights, smoke from burning tire rubber on the highway, vehicles skidding out of control, sparks from metal grinding on the pavement. It's now 10:55 P.M. two police cars are wrecked, one of the officers was knocked down, but not seriously hurt. The Buick had rammed the police cars, knocked them out of the road and skidded into the bridge railing, badly damaging the Buick and breaking off part of the railing. Knowing for sure the subject was hurt and still inside the Buick, B. L. and I approached the Buick with great care, he snatched the driver's side door open and shined his flashlight inside as I pointed my shotgun into the Buick. Nothing, the driver was not in the vehicle. I wrote down the license plate number, it was a 1955 Massachusetts, # 926-389. I ran back to the patrol car and called the number in and requested 10-28 & 29. (Owner's name & if any wanted). I met B.L. at the end of the bridge and said to him, “let's go.” He asked, “where are we going?” I said, “under the bridge, he must have jumped over the railing.” Nobody saw him leave the bridge at either end. Off we went with flashlights and weapons, down the embankment and to the creek. Somewhere along the way, B.L. said to me, "if he shoots you, I will shoot him" and I said "thanks B.L.,I'll do the same for you". We searched under the bridge, we could find no evidence that he had jumped.

By this time, police officers were arriving in Millen from different locations to join in the man hunt. By morning there would be several hundred officers from as far away as Dublin, Milledgeville, City, County, State and Federal Officers would join together in the search. Bloodhounds are brought in from Louisville to aid in the search. There were civilians wanting to help, I saw one man from Louisville that came to help. We know we are searching for the person that gunned down Jim Landrum. The manhunt was on, Sgt. Mathews assigned officers to road- blocks, all roads leading in and out of the area was blocked. Sgt. C. L. Taylor and myself boarded a Central of Georgia passenger train, just in case the suspect had got on board. Back in Sylvania, Trooper Purvis had received an answer from my 10-28 & 10-29 request, and entered the following message into the Post Blotter (Record book)
6:33 A.M., Item # 10, Received call from GSP Atlanta Advised Police Department Braintree, Mass. Reported on Feb. 27, 7;34 P.M. Shell Gas Station at Washington and Hayer Place in South Braintree, Mass. held up by a W/M approx age 20, 5'3", 150#, black curly hair, brown leather jacket, subject armed w/ an automatic pistol sub. took $100 in cash and threatened owners life, sub stole a 1954 two tone green Buick, 55 Mass.926-389. PLP

The night had been bitter cold, the frost was heavy. The sky was turning gray, the sun was coming up. Officers were stopping at Ivey"s Driver In, just outside of Millen on US Highway 25 for coffee and breakfast. No word of the suspect. Cpl. R. L. Knight and Tpr. Fritz Calton from GSP, Thomson was manning a roadblock in front of Ivey's and busy checking cars going both ways on US # 25. People are going to work, some are surprised to see so many police cars at Ivey's, not knowing about the manhunt. Sgt. Mathews drives up and speaks to Cpl. Knight what do you think Pete, Cpl. Knight says he thinks he is still in Millen, and I got a feeling he will come right by here, I will be here until you relieve me. Sgt. Mathews pulls into Ivey's and I get in the car with B. L. Cowart. It now being daylight, I swap my shotgun for my 30-30 Winchester rifle. B.L. and I start out to patrol the area, some places B.L. wanted to check out. In another part of town, Mrs John G. Herrington was busy getting breakfast, and getting her 11 year old son John ready for school. There was a knock at the back door, as Mrs. Herrington opened the door she was knocked aside as the suspect pushed his way into her home. Mrs Herrington made an effort to resist, but the suspect struck her over the head with a monkey wrench. Young John in defense of his mother had slipped away from the suspect, got his single shot 22 cal. rifle, loaded it, and as the suspect advanced, John raised the rifle and fired at the suspect.

A short time later at the Ivey's Drive In roadblock, Cpl. Knight & Tpr. Calton signaled a black and white 1954 Chevrolet driven by a white lady, to stop. B.L. and myself were checking some back roads, when suddenly the radio came alive with the very excited voice of Trooper Calton, almost screaming, ALL CARS THE SUBJECT IS IN A 1954 BLACK AND WHITE CHEVROLET TRAVELING NORTH ON US 25 SUBJECT HAS GUN ON LITTLE BOY AND WILL KILL THE BOY IF ANY ONE TRYS TO STOP THEM.

B.L. looks at me and utters, "the dirty…, I say, “Let's go B.L.” and we head towards US 25, taking a short cut, we arrive at US 25, just in time to see the black and white Chevrolet go by. Several police cars are following, we get in line as soon as B.L. can pullout. We are headed north, towards Waynesboro. Georgia State Patrol Lt. Buck Branch comes on the radio with the following orders, ALL CARS DO NOT ATTEMP TO STOP VEHICLE, WE CAN NOT TAKE A CHANCE OF THE BOY BEING KILLED. REPEAT DO NOT STOP THE VEHICLE.

That order did not go over very well with some of the officers that were not State Patrol. I had a sort of sinking feeling, not knowing what we were to do. By this time there were a very long line of police cars following along behind the Chevrolet. The radio traffic was dense, everyone was trying to talk at the same time. B.L. had driven his way up to two cars behind the Chevrolet, we drove on through Waynesboro, Richmond County Officers radioed that they were blocking the bridge at the Burke/Richmond County line, they did not intend to allow the Chevrolet to enter Richmond County. B. L • and myself were behind the Sheriff's car from Dublin driven by Sheriff Carlos Gay and occupied on the passenger's side by County Policeman Charlie Powell. We were directly behind Sheriff Gay. I saw Charlie lean out the window with rifle, aim and shoot, the Chevrolet skidded sideways, Charlie had hit one of the rear tires, the Chevrolet skidded onto the shoulder and came to a stop in the edge of the woods. In so doing, the Chevrolet struck another vehicle, not involved in the chase and both vehicles skidded off the pavement together. B.L. parked on the shoulder beside the Chevrolet, which by this time both doors of the Chevrolet were open, Mrs Herrington was helped out from under the steering wheel and
rushed away from the car by officers, John Herrington was pulled out of the car by the suspect and dragged into the woods, still holding the gun to the boy's head. The officers were sort of in a half circle advancing towards the suspect and the boy, all the officers had their weapons pointed towards the two and were giving orders to the suspect to turn the boy loose. I noticed that from the top of the boys head to the suspect's head there was enough space for me to get a shot in to the suspect's head, the suspect shouted "get back, get back or the kid will get it" I raised my rifle, I had made up my mind I was going to shoot, I was to the side of the suspect and moved in within 15 feet of him. I was very calm, almost relaxed, I pulled the hammer back and began to put pressure on the trigger. I heard don't shoot Red, don't
Herndon, don't shoot Herndon. The voice was that of Sgt. Marion Combs, Post Commander, GSP, Milledgeville. A women's voice, please don't shoot. I didn't shoot. The suspect continued to drag the boy further into the woods, he was backing up with his arm wrapped around the boy, gun still to his head. The suspect backed into a scrub oak, lost his footing and as he fell backwards he put both his hands down to break his fall, that released the boy and the boy ran to safety. The suspect got to his feet and pointed the gun in a sweeping motion at the officers, including myself. As the first bullet struck the suspect, he raised his head and looked upward and said "oh no". The air was shattered by the sound of gunfire, I fired one shot. I could see his clothing pierced as the bullets entered his body, he fell to his knees and then backwards. He never realized what hit him, it was sudden death.

The time was 8:58 P.M., the date March 1st 1956. Someone pulled a wallet from his pocket, he was identified as Gerald Peter Beaucaire, age 24, address Dorchester, Mass. Beaucaire's left hand was swollen badly and his little finger was almost blown off, John Herrington's bullet had found a mark as he fired his 22 cal rifle earlier that morning. Beaucaire's body revealed approximately 40 penetrations, one appeared to be from my 30-30. As for Gerald Peter Beaucaire, he would never see a sunset, steal a car, kill an Officer, kidnap a mother and her son. But thousands would see his photograph on the front page of the newspaper with the words "Cop killer slain by Officers. I arrived back at Post 21, GSP Sylvania at about 3;30 P.M. tired, sleepy and ready to rest. I closed the blinds in my room, laid down to sleep, but I could not close my eyes, I was in a shock of some kind, the events of the night and day were unreal, I was so confused that I did not know for sure if I had fired the rifle into the body of another human. I got up dressed went out to my patrol car, got my rifle, worked the lever action and out popped an empty shell. For whatever reason I seemed at ease, I went back to my bed, fell asleep, was awaking the next morning by Sgt. Mathews, come on Red, get up, it's time to go to work.

Claude W. Herndon

Shortly after March 1st 1956 I talked with Horace Tanner who was the night operator of Thomas Brothers Service Station in Louisville. He told me that on the night Jim Landrum was killed, he had stopped by the service station and was talking with him when a two tone green Buick drove by twice, both times towards the slave market. Tanner said it looked like the driver drove towards the market, turned and came back by. Both Tanner and Landrum noticed that the Buick had an out of state license plate and was being driven by what looked like a little boy. Tanner told me he thought Landrum said something to indicate that the boy may be a run away child. Officer Landrum departed Thomas Brothers saying he was going to check him out.

Reference to weapon used by Beaucaire to shoot Officer Landrum.

When Beaucaire wrecked at Buckhead Creek, the Buick was searched, no weapon was found. It was my opinion and other officers, that Beaucaire was still armed with the same weapon that was used to shoot Officer Landrum. We learned later that when Beaucaire arrived at the Herrington home he was armed with a monkey wrench. We learned that the monkey wrench was taken from an outside building on the Herrington property. This property was located near the Buckhead Bridge. I think Beaucaire did jump over the bridge railing, crossed the creek on an old abandon bridge, and found a hiding place on the Herrington property. In reference to the pistol that Beaucaure was armed with at the time of his death, this weapon was stolen by Beaucaire from the Herrington residence. The question was then, where was the pistol that Beaucaire used to kill Officer Landrum? I remember that during the high speed chase between Midville and Millen I saw sparks, more than once, on the highway surface directly behind the Buick. It looked like something metal hitting the pavement. That, in the excitement of the chase did not mean anything. Later when the missing pistol question came up I remembered the sparks. My thoughts at that time was that Beaucaire had disassembled the death weapon as he drove along and threw it out the window of the Buick, his purpose was to NOT get caught with the evidence. I also realized that for him to disassemble an automatic weapon while driving at speeds reaching 100 MPH would have been remarkable, so maybe he disassembled the weapon sometime between Louisville and Midville.

Months later, maybe as long as a year I was told that an employee of the State Highway Department found part of an automatic pistol with the barrel missing, the barrel was not found, on the shoulder of Georgia Highway # 17 between Midville and Millen. However and for what reason, I believe Beaucaire did throw the weapon that he used to kill Officer Landrum from the speeding car on the night of February 29th 1956.

George A. Landrum, Jr.
Grandson

September 13, 2010

May you always rest in peace and know that you will never be forgotten.

Cpl/1 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police

February 29, 2008

YOU ARE REMEMBERED TODAY AND THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU ARE A HERO JUST BY THE PROFESSION YOU CHOSE.

VANDENBERGHE
MANCHESTER, NH

February 24, 2008

I think it should be noted that Jame's grandson, John, followed his footsteps into Law Enforcement in the early 1970s, and continues to serve as a Sergeant with the Waynesboro Police Department to this day.

I've had the honor of working with John, and you'd be proud of him, James. He was a mentor and friend in the early years of my career, and one of the finest this job has ever seen.

Rest in peace, knowing that your grandson, and all of his family in Law Enforcement continue to walk the line everyday.

Agent Randolph
Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team

December 31, 2007

"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

October 10, 2007

MY BROTHER, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. A HERO NEVER IS. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY YOU REST IN PEACE. YOU SERVED WELL.

CHIEF RONNIE WATFORD-RET.
JEFFERSON POLICE DEPT,S.C.

February 29, 2004