Roll of Honor

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Officer

Michael Tarone Hester

Lilburn Police Department — Lilburn, GA

Felonious

End of Watch April 19, 1994

Age 26

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Badge 913

The Vigil Panel 140 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Officer Michael Hester was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Rockbridge Road. He had stopped a car, which subsequently pulled several hundred yards down a driveway to an abandoned house at 9:30 a.m. While he was talking to the driver, the suspect exited through the driver's door and shot him several times. He was able to return fire. Both Officer Hester and the suspect, who was a convicted felon, were found dead a short time later next to the suspect's car, which had been stolen. Officer Hester had served with the Lilburn Police Department and previously served with the Barrow County Sheriff's Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-E2FEE814
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.
Officer Hester gave the Lilburn Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Lilburn community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Hester.

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

Agency

Department Lilburn Police Department

Location Lilburn, GA

Platform Identity lpd.gwinnett.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 19, 1994

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 26

Badge Number 913

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Officer Michael Tarone Hester 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%.

Lilburn Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Tarone Hester's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Michael Tarone Hester Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Tarone Hester is highlighted in Apr.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Michael Tarone Hester was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518