Town Marshal

J. Matt Willard

Flovilla Marshal's Office — Flovilla, GA
Felonious
End of Watch June 2, 1912
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Town Marshal Matt Willard was shot and killed from ambush as he stood in a cotton patch in the outskirts of Flovilla at an early morning hour. Bloodhounds led the Butts County Sheriff to the home of a man who was arrested and charged with his murder.

Town Marshal Willard had problems with the suspect for several years. The suspect maintained that he was innocent even though there was a witness to the crime. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison February 27, 1913. He was paroled on April 21, 1921. On August 25, 1932, he was killed by a freight train in Flovilla. Officials think he fell asleep on the track.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Town Marshal Willard gave the Flovilla Marshal's Office 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Flovilla community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Marshal Willard.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Flovilla, Butts County, GA
Platform Identity fmarshal.butts.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 2, 1912
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

J. 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 1912, 133 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 33rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

J. had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

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

Town Marshal J. Matt Willard

Flovilla Marshal's Office · End of Watch June 2, 1912

Where the Name Is Cut

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