Roll of Honor
John Arthur "Big John" Williams, Sr.
Incident
Sheriff John Williams was shot and killed around 8:00 pm while responding to a trespassing and noise complaint call at a gas station convenience store at the intersection of Highways 21 and 97 in Hayneville.
He had responded to the store after the owner called to report a large gathering of people in the parking lot who refused to leave. Sheriff Williams arrived at the scene and was speaking with an occupant of a truck about its loud music when the male shot him.
The male, the son of a neighboring Montgomery County sheriff's deputy, fled the scene but later returned and turned himself in. The truck was later determined to have been stolen.
The suspect, 19, charged with capital murder, has a trial date on October 4, 2023.
Sheriff Williams was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served in law enforcement for more than 40 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-F52AD9EB- 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.
Sheriff Williams gave the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office 40 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hayneville 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John Arthur "Big John" Williams, Sr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sheriff John Arthur "Big John" Williams, Sr. 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Arthur "Big John" Williams, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How John Arthur "Big John" Williams, Sr. Compares
Offender Outcome
Charged with murder
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Arthur "Big John" Williams, Sr. is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Arthur "Big John" Williams, Sr. was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Lowndes County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
