Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff William Cross was shot and killed by a man after responding to reports that the man was beating his wife and children. The suspect, who was released from an insane asylum two years earlier, was shot and killed when he fired at members of a posse searching for him.
Deputy Cross was survived by his wife and four children.
Survivors
Deputy Cross was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-42484605- 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
21 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Sheriff Cross gave the Weakley County Sheriff's Office 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Dresden community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Cross.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff William T. Cross 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 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 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Weakley County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 3 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. William T. Cross's cause is highlighted.
How William T. Cross Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William T. Cross is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William T. Cross was killed by rifle.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Weakley County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
