Larry Paul Childress

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 14, 1982

Age 39

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Badge 15

The Vigil Panel 125 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 93

Incident

Patrolman Larry Childress was shot and killed when he and his partner responded to a report of a home invasion robbery in the 5600 block of Shady Grove Road. The two suspects had impersonated police officers to gain access to the house and when inside tied up the occupants. One of the hostages was able to break free and call police. When Patrolman Childress and his partner arrived Patrolman Childress went to the side of the house while his partner knocked on the front door. While on the side of the house Patrolman Childress encountered the two suspects and was shot and killed. Both suspects were apprehended, along with a third man that was driving a getaway car. All three, ages 46, 36, and 32, were convicted to robbery and murder and sentenced to life in prison. One of the suspects was denied parole on August 12, 2003, but was eventually paroled. The oldest had a updated mugshot made in 2003 and later died in prison. The third suspect was paroled in 2019. Patrolman Childress was a United States Air Force Veteran and had served with the Memphis Police Department for 14 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-AF1CC4D2
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Larry is one person.

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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.
Patrolman Childress gave the Memphis Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Memphis Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN

Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 14, 1982

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Age 39

Badge Number 15

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Larry Paul Childress served in the U.S. Air Force (1962â1966) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Larry Paul Childress 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 97,759 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 Memphis Police Department, 53 of 94 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56.4% of this agency's fallen.

Memphis Police Department

of 94 officers

56.4% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious