Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Tommy Meredith was shot and killed while investigating a robbery call and kidnapping at 2:30 a.m. Four men had invaded the home of a grocery store owner and forced him to drive to another co-owner's residence to steal $20,000. The police department was called, and Lieutenant Meredith was dispatched to the scene. When he arrived, he surveyed the house under darkness before going and knocking on the door. One of the hostages yelled that it was the police, and the suspects opened fire. Lieutenant Meredith entered the home and chased the robbers through the house. Once he went through the back door, one of the suspects fired at him at point-blank range, striking him in the chest. Three suspects, 25, 32, and 32, were apprehended during the next few days: two in Florida and the other in New York City. On March 20, 1974, all three were convicted of murder, kidnapping, and robbery. Two were sentenced to life. One, 32, identified as the triggerman, was sentenced to death. In 1988, he was granted a new trial. On March 1, 1989, he was convicted of the exact charges but sentenced to life. He was paroled in 2016. The fourth suspect, 33, still at large, was placed on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. On October 1, 1974, he was captured by FBI agents in Jacksonville, Florida. On January 28, 1975, he was convicted of the same charges as the others and sentenced to life plus 20 years. Lieutenant Meredith had served with the Moultrie Police Department for 23 years and was scheduled to retire in six months.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-72220AAF- 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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Tributes
23 years. You could have gone home.
Lieutenant Meredith gave the Moultrie Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Moultrie community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Meredith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant Thomas Jackson Meredith 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 97,772 officers honored here.
In GA, 549 of 905 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 60.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Moultrie Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Jackson Meredith's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Jackson Meredith Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Jackson Meredith is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Thomas Jackson Meredith was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Moultrie Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
