Roll of Honor
Incident
Night Marshal Thomas Stephens and Deputy Walter Brown were shot and killed after responding to a report that several men were creating a disturbance in front of local church being used for a lodge meeting.
When Deputy Brown and Marshal Stephens attempted to place a man under arrest, the suspect's father drove up and opened fire killing them both. They managed to return fire killing four trouble makers, three who were their killer's sons. Vigilantes arrived on the scene burning the church to the ground and threw two rioters into the fire killing both. The shooting deaths of the two officers resulted in several people being killed and several buildings and homes being burned in Millen. Another son of the killer was lynched. The incident became known as one of the 25 "Red Summer Riots", of 1919. Other race riots occurred in Washington D.C., Knoxville Tennessee, Longview Texas, Phillips County, Arkansas, Omaha,Nebraska, and most dramatically Chicago.
The gunman was arrested for both murders. He was convicted of Deputy Brown's murder and sentenced to death. He was awarded a new trial and acquitted. A third trial resulted in the acquittal for the murder of Marshal Stephens. He was released from Jail on May 30, 1923.
Marshal Stephens had served with the agency for 3 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, five children, mother, and three siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-1C3BFF8F- 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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Night Marshal Stephens gave the Jenkins County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Millen community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Night Marshal Stephens.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Night Marshal Thomas Preston Stephens 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 Jenkins County Sheriff's Office, 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. Thomas Preston Stephens's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Preston Stephens Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Preston Stephens is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Jenkins County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
