Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Milwood Stokes was shot and killed following a high-speed chase through town. He and a city councilman were sitting in his patrol car when they observed a truck speed past them. They attempted to stop the truck and pursued it until it came to a stop at a home. As Chief Stokes approached, the man opened fire with a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with birdshot, fatally wounding Chief Stokes. The councilman was wounded by shrapnel. The suspect was taken into custody shortly thereafter. He was convicted of murdering Chief Stokes and sentenced to life in prison. Chief Stokes was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Whigham Police Department for two years and the Attapulgus Police Department for nine years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and nine children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-7C897EFB- 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.
Chief of Police Stokes gave the Whigham Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Whigham community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Milwood L. Stokes served in the Army (1954â1969) before joining law enforcement.
Chief of Police Milwood L. Stokes 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Milwood L. Stokes's cause is highlighted.
How Milwood L. Stokes Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Milwood L. Stokes is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Milwood L. Stokes was killed by shotgun; 12 gauge.