Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief Deputy Tommy Martin succumbed to gunshot wounds suffered one month earlier while responding to a home invasion call in Camargo in which two suspects fled the victim's home in his pickup truck and the van of a second victim who interrupted the robbery.
As Chief Deputy Martin passed the two suspect vehicles, one of the men opened fire, striking him in the face and chest. He was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital where he died from his wounds one month later.
The suspects then fled, abandoning the pickup truck and led police on a high-speed chase, firing at officers as they headed south on Interstate 57. Exiting at Arcola, they headed west on Illinois Route 133 before crashing the van as they crossed railroad tracks just east of U.S. 45.
Officers immediately apprehended one suspect who was still in the van. The other suspect fled on foot and ran into the First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust where he took five hostages. After releasing four of them, he later surrendered with the last hostage after a seven-hour standoff.
One suspect was sentenced to life in prison for Chief Deputy Martin's murder. The other suspect, convicted of home invasion and aggravated kidnapping, was sentenced to two consecutive, 30-year terms.
Chief Deputy Martin had served with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department for three years and had previously served with the Illinois State Police for 24 years. He was also a US Navy veteran of the Vietnam War.
Survivors
Chief Deputy Martin was survived by his son, daughter, brother and three grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-3F288647- 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 Deputy Martin gave the Douglas County Sheriff's Department 27 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tuscola 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
Tommy Kent Martin served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Chief Deputy Tommy Kent Martin 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 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. Tommy Kent Martin's cause is highlighted.
How Tommy Kent Martin Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Tommy Kent Martin is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Tommy Kent Martin was killed by gun; unknown type.