Police Officer Tom Ellis White

Tom Ellis White

Police Officer Tom White was shot and killed from ambush while sitting in his patrol car in front of the Wolfe City National Bank.

He was shot by one of several men who had been drinking earlier in the evening and who stole a .22 caliber rifle from a pickup truck in a neighboring city. After shooting out a light with the rifle, the man told his friends that he could shoot Officer White from half that distance.

After the men split up, the suspect located Officer White and shot him in the head with the rifle. The suspect then stole Officer White's service revolver and fled the scene. A delivery truck driver found Officer White's body in his patrol car. He was seated in the driver's seat, with the door open, and had one foot on the pavement.

The suspect was arrested several days later. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. The conviction was overturned on appeal because the testimony by one of the friends was deemed uncorroborated.

Officer White was the city's only patrolman at the time of his death. He was survived by his wife and four children.