Frank Mitchell Ellerbe

Georgia Bureau of Investigation — Decatur, GA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 12, 1983

Age 38

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 126 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Special Agent Frank Ellerbe was stabbed to death while serving a search warrant in McIntosh County at 3 pm. The warrant was a result of an undercover narcotics purchase. The suspect was arrested in the house and handcuffed in front of his body. As Agent Ellerbe was doing paperwork at the kitchen table, the suspect was permitted to get a drink of water from the sink. The suspect instead picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Agent Ellerbe in the neck. Agent Ellerbe bled to death while being transported to the closest hospital 18 miles away. The suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on March 8th, 1983. Agent Ellerbe was a United States Army Vietnam veteran and had served with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for seven years, assigned to the Savannah-Coastal Narcotics squad.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-213399C8
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.
Special Agent Ellerbe gave the Georgia Bureau of Investigation 7 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Location Decatur, GA

Platform Identity georfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 12, 1983

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Frank Mitchell Ellerbe served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Special Agent Frank Mitchell Ellerbe 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious