James Virgil Griner

Ben Hill County Sheriff's Dept. — Fitzgerald, GA

Felonious

End of Watch August 30, 1951

The Vigil Panel 87 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Sheriff Griner and Jailer John Smith were shot and killed after they stopped a vehicle to search for whiskey. The suspect opened fire on both men, killing Jailer Smith and mortally wounding Sheriff Griner. The sheriff was transported to an Atlanta hospital where he succumbed to his wounds four days later. After hiding in a south Georgia swamp for three weeks, the suspect surrendered to a Georgia state trooper. On April 23, 1952, he was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life. He died in prison April 3, 1959.

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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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Griner served with the Ben Hill County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Fitzgerald community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Griner.

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

Agency

Department Ben Hill County Sheriff's Dept.

Location Fitzgerald, GA

Platform Identity bhcso.benhill.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 30, 1951

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Died in prison

Sheriff James Virgil Griner 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 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 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

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

Ben Hill County Sheriff's Dept.

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious