Rural Police Officer John Franklin Fesperman

John Franklin Fesperman

Rural Police Officer Fesperman was shot and killed while filling in for another officer who was sick.

Officer Fesperman and other officers were en route to a liquor raid on a home at the Wakefield Farm off of Providence Road. When the officers arrived at the house, they located almost 100 people. As they began to search the people in the crowd, officers found liquor on one of the men, who was then placed into Officer Fesperman's custody.

Moments later, the man shot Officer Fesperman in the head and fled the scene. Officer Fesperman was taken to Presbyterian Hospital, where he died.

The suspect was arrested a short time later by the Charlotte police chief. He was convicted of Officer Fesperman's murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life. He was pardoned on August 18, 1942, by Governor Melville Broughton.

Officer Fesperman had been appointed to the police force on the day he was killed.