Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

DevilDog… Salute!! OOH RAH.!!

Retired Sgt. Lynn Brown (Detroit Poliice
United States Marine Corp

November 20, 2024

Mark, the man that killed you died in prison yesterday. You and your Mom are stilled missed by the SC LEO families.

LT. Robert Porter
Pickens County Sheriff’s Office

May 22, 2024

I was very privileged for mark to be a friend before I became a cop. He was a mentor and one of the few that gave advice without wanting anything in return. He was one of the good ones. He was the big brother I never had. I named my first child after him- Hunter O’Neil…he was a true family man and my son has lived up to his name. I’m grateful for the knowledge he gave me and the friendship. God blessed me to know Mark. I can’t express my gratitude in knowing a good person without the sorrow of losing one. The world would be a better place with Coates. Sending my love to all the family and friends ❤️

Jessie prince
RCSD

December 15, 2023

Dear Trooper Coates, your friends and family.

I read about your heroism and your dedication to serving the community from Jim Glennon.

I want to convey my gratitude to you for your service and my sympathy to your family and friends for their loss.

You deserve the highest honor we can bestow upon your memory, and I hope my words offer some small comfort to you and them.

Sincerely,

Robert Hamilton

Citizen
Citizen

July 27, 2023

Trooper Coates,

I met your wife and your mother at PCIS in St. Island GA in March of 2018. Two great people who are doing amazing things to help L.E. who have been through tragic incidents. It was an honor to meet them.

Deputy Sheriff, Andrew Smith
Grant County Sheriff's Office (WI.)

January 16, 2023

Trooper Coates,
On today, the 30th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice-not just as a Law Enforcement Officer but for our Country as well when you served with the USMC. And to your Family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

Semper Fi Devil Dog!
A fellow LEO;former Marine

Anonymous
United States Border Patrol

November 20, 2022

Always remembered brother.

Judge /Magistrate/SCTeooper Sheridan Lyn
Judicial

November 20, 2022

Sent

To Whom It May Concern,

I respectfully ask that you DENY PAROLE to Richard Blackburn inmate # 00199392. This inmate is responsible for the murder of Trooper Mark Hunter Coates of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Inmate # 00199392 does not deserve parole until Trooper Mark Hunter Coates is paroled from his grave. Not until Trooper Coates widow, two sons, two stepdaughters, parents, sister, and brother receive parole from the loss and grief from losing their husband, father, brother, and son. Receive parole from the knowledge that Trooper Mark Hunter Coates was murdered.
Inmate # 00199392 received LIFE and LIFE is what he must be required to serve. Inmate # 00199392 did not just murder Trooper Coates; he destroyed two families. His own AND Trooper Mark Hunter Coates.
Trooper Mark Hunter Coates will never be with his family again, neither should his killer. Inmate # 00199392 destroyed Trooper Mark Hunter Coates family. Trooper Mark Hunter Coates had two children. Children that had their world torn apart. Two children that would grow up fatherless. Two that would have the “Nots” -- Not at school graduations. Not at weddings. Not at their babies’ birth making him a Grandpa. Not at birthdays. Not at College graduations. His wife would not be able to have him there to hold her when she needed to know all was well. Not be able to celebrate their wedding anniversary ever again with him at her side. Not at Christmas’ with them standing beside each other as their children opened their gifts with awe in their eyes and hearts. Not able to celebrate a second honeymoon with the father of their children.

Trooper Mark Hunter Coates was shot and killed while trying to simply investigate a traffic incident.

As a concerned citizen and in the interest of public safety, I again respectfully ask that you DENY PAROLE to inmate # 00199392. Justice demands that he be made to spend every remaining day of his FULL SENTENCE in prison.

‘Please DO NOT put Trooper Mark Hunter Coates’ family through the pain of knowing their son, brother, husband, and father’s murderer is allowed to go free. Inmate # 00199392 MUST BE REQUIRED TO REMAIN IN PRISON FOR LIFE according to his sentence.

Sincerely,

Cynthia

November 10, 2022

Mark,

Just wanted to say that I tell your story to every single EMT class that comes through my watch. I want my students to know what you gave up in the name of freedom. I want them to learn from your sacrifice. May they visualize your story with an accurate consciousness of the gravity in which our duty must be measured. I know in my soul that your sacrifice and the education that has come of it, has saved the lives of countless responders. I keep your story and heroism with me Mark, as do my students.

Remembering our hometown heroes always,
Justin Miles-Miller

Justin Miles-Miller, Flight Paramedic
Meducare Air Helicopter EMS

August 23, 2022

Mark, it's been a while since anyone left you a note. I see your face every time I am at the office. Along with the others who paid the ultimate price in Beaufort and Jasper. Not a shift goes by you do not cross my mind when I get on I-95. I never knew you personally, but we are brothers. Something in me said to watch the video again tonight. Like always, I regret it. I wound up here. Rest easy sir, we have the watch from here.

SCHP Trooper
SCHP

August 12, 2022

I visited the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Memorial at the Capitol complex in Columbia earlier this week to look for your name on the wall. I did the same thing two years ago on my very first trip to Columbia. I became a Missouri trooper just a little over a month after you were murdered and your incident had a profound impact on me. I never knew you and have never met those who loved you, but I want to thank you for your service and sacrifice. As I approach 30 years of being a trooper, I want your loved ones to know that you are not forgotten. May God bless those who remain behind and miss you every day.

Major D.A. Flannigan
Missouri State Highway Patrol

January 28, 2022

Rest in peace hero.

J.R.

November 20, 2021

Always remembered brother

Judge /Magistrate Sheridan (Danny) Lynn
Former S.C. Highway Patrol

November 20, 2021

Sir, I learned of your death when I was a teen, before I became a police officer. You will never be forgotten. I think of you often. Thank you for serving our country and as a police officer. Rest in peace. Your sacrifice was not in vain.

Police Officer Andrew Schuck
Everett PD (Everett, Washington)

July 6, 2021

Thinking of you today buddy. Rest in peace. Semper Fi

Trooper GD Vickery
SCHP

June 6, 2021

Rest in peace hero.

J.R.

November 20, 2020

Always remembered brother!!

Judge / Magistrate Sheridan Lynn
SC Highway Patrol (retired)

November 20, 2020

To the Coates family. Mark’s story is one that affected me deeply throughout my 30 year law
enforcement career. I finally had the opportunity to stop and pay my respects in person on I-95.
My father was a cop for 29 years, I was for 30 years, and I now have two nephews in LE.
Your family is forever in my thoughts and prayers.
There is no more nobler profession !

May God continue to Bless your family.

Det. Sgt. John “Buck” Savage
Syracuse NY PD

February 29, 2020

Dear Coates Family,
You don’t know me but I was one of Mark’s many many brothers. I of course offer my condolences and I also offer my prayers for your family. Being a peace officer is not just a job it’s a calling. I’m sure Mark knew that even though we never met. And I pray that the Lord has blessed him as he does all peacemakers. I am so sorry for your loss. Please take some peace in knowing that he is in the hearts of many of us who never met him. May he rest peacefully with the Lord and may your family also be looked after by the Lord. Again I am so so sorry for your loss.
Michael Newman, (Detective, Retired) Los Angeles County sheriffs department.

Michael Newman
Los Angeles County Sheriffs’s Department

November 21, 2019

Mark was a good guy. My Dad was murdered when someone broke into our house. I was radio tech for SCHP and one of my troopers, George Radford was murdered during a traffic stop. I took it very personal because the first time I met George he expressed how sorry he was about my dad . Murder is bad no matter who it is, but when it is a law enforcement officer, they died doing their job. Their job is making our world a safe and better place to live. Everyone owes them a big "thank you" for the job they do. My job was to make sure their radio worked so if they needed help, they could call for help. I made a few troopers mad because they had said they had an intermittent problem and until I was sure I had it fixed, I didn't let them use that radio.

Giles Page former SCHP radio tech
SCHP radio tech

November 21, 2019

It is NOT how you died that made you a HERO, but how you LIVED....

MSP Tpr. Dj Oswald-DeBottis (Ret.)
LEO Sister

November 21, 2019

I remember this all to well. I was starting my career in law enforcement in MN and the Trooper Coates squad video was shown as a training video of what can happen on a traffic stop gone bad. Will never forget the first time I saw it and the sound of terror in his voice calling for back up. Ultimate sacrifice...Thankful for his service in the military and in LE.
RIP Trooper Coates!

Patrolman Rick HiRung
Little Falls Police Dept.

November 20, 2019

I graduated the patrol academy in August 1991. I will never forget the day this hero gave his life to protect the citizens of South Carolina. I was at the funeral and also remember the video that haunts me until this day. As tragic as this was, knowing what Mark went thru saved me many times in my career. Each stop I made since this occurred I would tell myself that this could be the person that tries to harm me. I never took my safety for granted. Thank you for your sacrifice.

Corporal C.M. Burgess
SCHP Retired

November 20, 2019

Never forgotten brother.

Judge / Magistrate Sheridan Lynn (former
Aiken County, S.C.

November 20, 2019

Until minutes ago I did not know of your passing Trooper Coates nor ODMP.org; I am reading Arresting Communication by Lt. Jim Glennon who asked that I leave a tribute for you and your family. You are in my prayers and admiration. We lost a wonderful Devil Dog in you.

B.D. Wilkins (Not an LEO)
Volunteer in public safety as much and often as I can

November 6, 2019