Sheriff Eli M. Rentz

Eli M. Rentz

Sheriff Eli Rentz was shot and killed with his own service weapon after he and another deputy arrested two moonshiners near Ansley.

The two officers had parked their car a half-mile away so they could approach the suspects without being noticed. After handcuffing the two suspects together, the deputy returned to retrieve the car.

Sheriff Rentz was leading the two out of the woods when they attacked and disarmed him. The deputy heard a shot and ran back to the scene where he found Sheriff Rentz suffering from a gunshot from his own .44 caliber service revolver.

Both suspects were gone but were later apprehended. They were executed by hanging on October 3rd, 1924.

Sheriff Rentz was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.