Roll of Honor

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Sheriff

C. F. "Neil" Grantham

Coffee County Sheriff's Department — New Brockton, AL

Felonious

End of Watch March 1, 1979

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 121 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff Neil Grantham was shot and killed by a former prisoner as he arrived at the jail. Sheriff Grantham ran into a former prisoner who was waiting outside the jail, parked in the sheriff's spot. The man shot the sheriff three times, then sped off to a relative's home, where he sat on the porch and waited for authorities. The sheriff was taken to the Elba General Hospital where he died of several gunshot wounds to the chest. The suspect was convicted of the sheriff's murder and sentenced to death. In May 2007 the death sentence was overturned.

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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Grantham served with the Coffee County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the New Brockton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Grantham.

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

Agency

Department Coffee County Sheriff's Department

Location New Brockton, AL

Platform Identity ccso.coffee.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 1, 1979

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Convicted

Sheriff C. F. "Neil" Grantham is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Coffee County Sheriff's Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. C. F. "Neil" Grantham's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How C. F. "Neil" Grantham Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Convicted

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. C. F. "Neil" Grantham is highlighted in Mar.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. C. F. "Neil" Grantham was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518