Roll of Honor
Incident
County Policeman Tom Fry was shot and killed near the Lakeview Tourist Camp while attempting to arrest a juvenile for disorderly conduct.
He had arrested the boy's brother several weeks earlier on a murder warrant and placed him in jail. He returned to the tourist camp area, where he encountered the juvenile along the highway and was shot twice.
The subject was convicted of Policeman Fry's murder and sentenced to life in prison. He escaped from prison in 1940 and assumed a new identity. He settled in North Carolina and started a family after serving in WWII. Authorities located him in 1956 and re-arrested him. He was extradited to Georgia but paroled one month later.
Policeman Fry had served with the Fannin County Police Department for four years and had previously served as the elected sheriff for five years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, four children, and five grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-AD77EB82- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
County Policeman Fry gave the Fannin County Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Blue Ridge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, County Policeman Fry.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
County Policeman James Thomas Fry 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. James Thomas Fry's cause is highlighted.
How James Thomas Fry Compares
Offender Outcome
Paroled in 1956
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Thomas Fry is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Thomas Fry was killed by handgun; .25 caliber.