Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Martin Stegall was shot and killed by a man he was attempting to arrest for the murder of a woman on Broad Street in Bainbridge.
Sheriff Stegall, who was nearby when the shooting occurred, approached the suspect to make the arrest, when without warning the suspect turned and shot him through the chest. As Sheriff Stegall fell he shot the suspect through his shoulder. The suspect was captured minutes later.
Later that night a mob of more than 300 men stormed the county jail, seized the suspect, and hanged him from the Flint River Bridge.
Sheriff Stegall was survived by his wife and six children. He is buried in Oak City Cemetery in Bainbridge, Georgia.
Survivors
Sheriff Stegall was survived by his wife and six children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-17AB690A- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Stegall served with the Decatur County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Bainbridge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Stegall.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Martin Crawford Stegall 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 Decatur County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Martin Crawford Stegall's cause is highlighted.
How Martin Crawford Stegall Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Martin Crawford Stegall is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Martin Crawford Stegall was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Decatur County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
