James Thomas Fry
Agency patch
County Policeman

James Thomas Fry

Fannin County Police Department — Blue Ridge, GA
Felonious
End of Watch November 8, 1936
Age 56
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
The Vigil Panel 72 ›
Gender Male

Incident

County Policeman Tom Fry was shot and killed near the Lakeview Tourist Camp while attempting to arrest a juvenile for disorderly conduct.

He had arrested the boy's brother several weeks earlier on a murder warrant and placed him in jail. He returned to the tourist camp area, where he encountered the juvenile along the highway and was shot twice.

The subject was convicted of Policeman Fry's murder and sentenced to life in prison. He escaped from prison in 1940 and assumed a new identity. He settled in North Carolina and started a family after serving in WWII. Authorities located him in 1956 and re-arrested him. He was extradited to Georgia but paroled one month later.

Policeman Fry had served with the Fannin County Police Department for four years and had previously served as the elected sheriff for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four children, and five grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-AD77EB82
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.
County Policeman Fry gave the Fannin County Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Blue Ridge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, County Policeman Fry.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Blue Ridge, GA
Platform Identity fcpd.fannin.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 8, 1936
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .25 caliber

County Policeman James Thomas Fry 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 GA, 549 of 905 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 60.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Fannin County Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
GA — Statewide
549
of 905 officers
60.7% 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. James Thomas Fry's cause is highlighted.

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

How James Thomas Fry Compares

Age at Death
56
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
9
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Thomas Fry is highlighted in Nov.

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. James Thomas Fry was killed by handgun; .25 caliber.

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

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Fannin County Police Department are honored on badge.nw.