Roll of Honor
Samuel Preston Greenlee
Incident
Sheriff Samuel Greenlee was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a man who had escaped from prison. Sheriff Greenlee had tracked the suspect to a location where he was hiding with another wanted suspect. Sheriff Greenlee approached and demanded that the suspects surrender. The suspects opened fire, killing Sheriff Greenlee. One suspect was arrested the next day. He was later taken from his holding cell and hung by a group of angry civilians. The second suspect was tracked down by a 16-year-old boy and shot and killed. Sheriff Greenlee was survived by his wife. He was a Union Civil War Veteran who served as a sergeant with the 4th Tennessee Calvary, Company C.
Survivors
Sheriff Greenlee was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-0FCA92AE- 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 Greenlee served with the Grainger County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Rutledge 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Samuel Preston Greenlee served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sheriff Samuel Preston Greenlee 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 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 10.6 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. Samuel Preston Greenlee's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel Preston Greenlee Compares
Offender Outcome
Both killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel Preston Greenlee is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel Preston Greenlee was killed by not available.