J. B. Rice
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

J. B. Rice

Dyer County Sheriff's Office — Dyersburg, TN
Felonious
End of Watch July 16, 1918
Age 57
The Vigil Panel 34 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff J.B. Rice was shot and killed by a man who had just disarmed a Dyserburg police officer.

The officer had intervened in a fight between the man and a victim the man had just stabbed. As Deputy Rice came to the officer's aid the man opened fire with the officer's pistol, killing him and wounding the county sheriff.

The sheriff was able to hold onto the subject and subdued him using his club.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-4D9166A5
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.
Deputy Sheriff Rice served with the Dyer County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Dyersburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Rice.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Dyersburg, Dyer County, TN
Platform Identity dcso.dyer.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 16, 1918
Age 57
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Deputy Sheriff J. B. Rice 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 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 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Dyer County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Dyer County Sheriff's Office
3
of 4 officers
75% Felonious
TN — Statewide
498
of 769 officers
64.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. J. B. Rice's cause is highlighted.

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

How J. B. Rice Compares

Age at Death
57
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. J. B. Rice is highlighted in Jul.

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. J. B. Rice was killed by handgun.

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