Frank Mitchell Ellerbe
Agency patch
Special Agent

Frank Mitchell Ellerbe

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch January 12, 1983
Age 38
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 126 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Agent Frank Ellerbe was stabbed to death while serving a search warrant in McIntosh County at 3 pm. The warrant was a result of an undercover narcotics purchase. The suspect was arrested in the house and handcuffed in front of his body. As Agent Ellerbe was doing paperwork at the kitchen table, the suspect was permitted to get a drink of water from the sink. The suspect instead picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Agent Ellerbe in the neck. Agent Ellerbe bled to death while being transported to the closest hospital 18 miles away. The suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on March 8th, 1983. Agent Ellerbe was a United States Army Vietnam veteran and had served with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for seven years, assigned to the Savannah-Coastal Narcotics squad.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-213399C8
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Special Agent Ellerbe gave the Georgia Bureau of Investigation 7 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Decatur, GA
Platform Identity georfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 12, 1983
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

Military Service

Frank Mitchell Ellerbe served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Special Agent Frank Mitchell Ellerbe 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In GA, 548 of 904 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.6% of this state's fallen. That is 60.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation
4
of 6 officers
66.7% Felonious
GA — Statewide
548
of 904 officers
60.6% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frank Mitchell Ellerbe's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Frank Mitchell Ellerbe Compares

Age at Death
38
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Frank Mitchell Ellerbe is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Frank Mitchell Ellerbe was killed by edged weapon.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Military Service

Frank Mitchell Ellerbe served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Frank Mitchell Ellerbe’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.