Roll of Honor
Billy M. Langham
Incident
Trooper Billy Langham was shot and killed after stopping a speeding motorist on Highway 49 near Collins, Mississippi. The vehicle was occupied by four male subjects. Trooper Langham noticed a butcher knife on the front seat and removed the front seat occupant of the vehicle to be searched. He also removed the knife and placed it on the top of his patrol car. As he was bent over searching the car, the subject grabbed the knife from the top of the cruiser and began stabbing Trooper Langham in the back. He attempted to draw his weapon but was overpowered by the subjects and was fatally shot with it. The suspects fled but were followed by witnesses. The suspects, 30, 37, and two, 27, were apprehended an hour later when they attempted to run a roadblock on U.S. 49 south of Collins. Two suspects, 27 and 30, were sentenced to life. The other 27-year-old was sentenced to 25 years. The killer, 37, was sentenced to death. He was granted a new trial and sentenced to life on October 26, 1992. He died in prison in 2009. As of December 4, 2022, the 30-year-old was in prison. He was denied parole in 2024. Another was released in 1989. The fourth died in prison on March 7, 2018. Trooper Langham had served with the Mississippi Highway Patrol for eight years. He was survived by his wife and two children. A section of U.S. Highway 49 in Collins was dedicated to Trooper Langham's memory.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-48A6472B- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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.
Trooper Langham gave the Mississippi Department of Public Safety 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Langham.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Trooper Billy M. Langham is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In MS, 243 of 350 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this state's fallen. That is 69.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol, 10 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Billy M. Langham's cause is highlighted.
How Billy M. Langham Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Billy M. Langham is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Billy M. Langham was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
