Roll of Honor
William Milton Pugh
Incident
Investigator William Pugh was shot and killed while raiding a still at home in Hales Point, Tennessee. The shooter was convicted and executed for Investigator Pugh's murder on August 14, 1943. He is the only person ever executed by the federal government in Tennessee. The man had been previously sentenced to 21 years in prison for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Joseph Wyatt Lunsford, of the Lauderdale County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Office, on June 5, 1931. He had been paroled from that sentence on February 16, 1940.
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BO-US-FED-2E233D7B- Stewardship
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- 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.
Investigator Pugh served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Investigator Pugh.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Investigator William Milton Pugh 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Alcohol Tax Unit, 12 of 30 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Milton Pugh's cause is highlighted.
How William Milton Pugh Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Milton Pugh is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Milton Pugh was killed by shotgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
29 officers from United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Alcohol Tax Unit are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
