Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Posey Martin was stabbed in the neck and another officer was stabbed and seriously injured by a prisoner who was armed with a screwdriver. They were in the process of releasing another prisoner from the town jail when they were attacked. Chief Martin bled to death on the jail floor after being stabbed. The two prisoners were relatives and both ran from the jail after the attack. Since his release papers had hot been completed he was designated an escapee. He was found a few hours later shot to death on the front porch of a Galax home. Five days later three Galax police officers apprehended Chief Martin's killer near Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The suspect was convicted of Chief Martin's murder and sentenced to death. He was the primary suspect in the other escapee's murder because there were hard feelings between the two, but there was never enough evidence to prove he committed the murder. On April 18, 1939, Governor James H. Price commuted his sentence to life. He was paroled in November of 1947 but sent back to prison in 1950 for violating his parole. On November 28, 1961, he was pardoned by Governor James L. Almond Jr. Chief Martin had served with the Galax Police Department for three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-9B4821C2- 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.
Chief of Police Martin gave the Galax Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Galax community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Martin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Posey C. Martin 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 VA, 395 of 654 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 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. Posey C. Martin's cause is highlighted.
How Posey C. Martin Compares
Offender Outcome
Pardoned in 1961
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Posey C. Martin is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Posey C. Martin was killed by edged weapon; screwdriver.