Incident
Guard William Jarrell was struck and killed while supervising an inmate at a Greene County Prison Farm road worksite.
When the work crew brought lunches to the road site, they were unable to find Guard Jarrell or the inmate. After an exhaustive search, Guard Jarrell was found buried under a pile of dirt, with his skull crushed and evidence that a bulldozer had run over his body. The inmate had escaped in a prison dump truck.
The inmate fled Georgia and was apprehended in Massachusetts by FBI agents. He was convicted of Guard Jarrell's murder and was executed on November 26, 1948.
Guard Jarrell was a United States Army Air Forces World War II veteran.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, stepson, parents, and brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-B361B3BD- 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.
Guard Jarrell served with the Greene County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Greensboro community. Thank you 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
William Dewey Jarrell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Guard William Dewey Jarrell 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 Greene County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 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 Dewey Jarrell's cause is highlighted.
How William Dewey Jarrell Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Dewey Jarrell is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Dewey Jarrell was killed by blunt object.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Greene County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
