Constable

W. D. Turner

Felonious
End of Watch January 9, 1900
Gender Male

Incident

Constable Turner and Deputy Constable Marvin Durham were shot and killed while attempting to transport an inmate from the Durhamville town jail to the county jail.

The inmate had been arrested earlier in the day for refusing to comply with a county health ordinance to be vaccinated. The city judge ordered the inmate to pay a fine. When he refused to pay, the judge ordered that he be moved to the Lauderdale County Jail in Ripley, Tennessee.

Constable Turner deputized Marvin Durham to assist him with moving the prisoner. As they were about one mile away from Durhamville two brothers of the inmate ambushed the constables and shot both of them. Their bodies were found lying in the street by Constable Turner's wife. The inmate was also shot and later lynched by an angry mob, along with another one of his brothers.

Both suspects fled the scene.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Constable Turner served with the Lauderdale County Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Ripley community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Turner.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Other
Location Ripley, Lauderdale County, TN
Platform Identity lcco.lauderdale.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 9, 1900
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

W. is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1900, 86 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 74th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
III

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
IV

His people

Lauderdale County Constable's Office has 2 officers remembered here, W. among them.

Constable W. D. Turner

Lauderdale County Constable's Office · End of Watch January 9, 1900

Where the Name Is Cut

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Lauderdale County Constable's Office are honored on badge.nw.

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