Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Plummer Riggan and Officer Matt Gwatney were shot and killed while searching a house for illegal whiskey. When the officers and the police chief discovered the illegal stash the owner opened fire on them, killing both officers and wounding the city's mayor, who was with them. The suspect was arrested a short time later by citizens and other officers. The suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison October 8, 1917. In 1897 the suspect was acquitted of murdering a man in Bethel. He died in prison September 30, 1920. The police chief went insane as a result of the tragedy and had to be committed to a mental institution in Raleigh. A few weeks later he escaped and walked back to Tarboro. Miraculously as he reached the end of his walk his sanity had returned to him. Both officers are buried beside each other in Tarboro at the Greenwood Cemetery on Howard Avenue. The house they were killed in was located on Trade Street where the Fountains on the Albemarle Retirement Community is now located.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-213789F2- 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.
Officer Riggan served with the Tarboro Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Tarboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Riggan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Plummer Ray Riggan 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Tarboro Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Plummer Ray Riggan's cause is highlighted.
How Plummer Ray Riggan Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 30 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Plummer Ray Riggan is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Plummer Ray Riggan was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Tarboro Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
