Harley Beecher Nelson

Knox County Sheriff's Dept. — Knoxville, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 6, 1947

Age 31

The Vigil Panel 83 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 10

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Harley Nelson was shot and killed after he and another deputy responded to a shooting call.

A livestock dealer had called authorities after he caught a man tearing down a fence on his property. The subject shot at the dealer when he confronted him. When the deputies arrived the dealer accompanied them to a nearby shack where the subject lived. Deputy Nelson went to the front door as the other deputy went around back.

Several moments later the subject shot Deputy Nelson in the chest, killing him. The other deputy ran around to the front and tried to pull Deputy Nelson's body to their patrol car but was fired at by the subject. The deputy retreated to safety and called for backup. Responding county, city, and state units arrived and were involved in a prolonged shootout with the subject, who was eventually shot and killed inside of the shack.

Deputy Nelson was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four daughters, parents, two brothers, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-F8EBB58F
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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 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.
Deputy Sheriff Nelson served with the Knox County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Knoxville community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Knox County Sheriff's Dept.

Location Knoxville, TN

Platform Identity kcso.knox.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 6, 1947

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .32 caliber

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

Harley Beecher Nelson served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Harley Beecher Nelson 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Knox County Sheriff's Dept., 7 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

Knox County Sheriff's Dept.

of 11 officers

63.6% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious