Incident
Deputy Sheriff John Myers was shot and killed from ambush while driving on the highway between Burnside and Philadelphia, Mississippi.
A subject hiding in bushes on the side of the road opened fire with a shotgun, killing him as he drove by. A subject whom had just been sentenced to prison for liquor law violations was arrested and charged with his murder. It was determined that Deputy Myers was murdered in retaliation for his part in investigating the case.
The man plead guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison. He escaped from prison in 1929 and subsequently shot and killed as a posse attempted to arrest him at his home.
Deputy Myers had served in law enforcement for a total of 25 years. He had previously served as the town marshal of Philadelphia, Mississippi, and as the chief special agent of the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad Police Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and seven children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-85792139- 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
25 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Sheriff Myers gave the Neshoba County Sheriff's Office 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Myers.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff John Adam Myers 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 MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 15.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Adam Myers's cause is highlighted.
How John Adam Myers Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Adam Myers is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Adam Myers was killed by shotgun.