Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff George Goare was shot and killed with his own weapon while transporting a 19-year-old youth to Richland, Georgia, while investigating a murder. The youth, who had been charged with murdering a man six days earlier, had agreed to show the sheriff the location of the murder weapon. The suspect, who was riding in the back seat, reached into the front seat, grabbed Sheriff Goare's gun, and shot him. The suspect, still handcuffed, was arrested at his mother's home the next day. The suspect was convicted of two counts of felony murder and sentenced to two life terms plus ten years. Sheriff Goare had served with the Webster County Sheriff's Office for 12 years before serving as sheriff for 13 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two sons.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-GA-5AA90C86- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
25 years. You could have gone home.
Sheriff Goare gave the Webster County Sheriff's Office 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Preston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Goare.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff George Edward Goare is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,587 officers honored here.
In GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.8 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George Edward Goare's cause is highlighted.
How George Edward Goare Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George Edward Goare is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George Edward Goare was killed by officer's handgun.