Roll of Honor
Incident
Jailer Wesley Turner was shot and killed by a man who held a grudge against him following a stint in the county jail.
Jailer Turner was walking up the street with acquaintances when he encountered the man. The subject took the weapon of a friend and opened fire on Jailer Turner, killing him.
The suspect fled the area while being pursued by a large posse. It was mistakingly reported he was killed by the posse four days later. Twice in 1911 it was reported the suspect, "Kentucky Bad Man Jake Noble", was captured in Williamstown, West Virginia, and then in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was discovered both had the wrong man. On May 26, 1915, Governor James B. McCreary added $250 to his reward making it more than $1000. The last known information about him was in a Kentucky news paper dated June 5, 1916, that reported he had killed another man in Breathitt County.
Jake Noble is highly suspected of having killed Breathitt County Deputy Sheriff Grant Holliday on December 10, 1905. He was tried and released. Days before Deputy Holliday was killed he had been released form prison after spending most of a 5 year sentence for killing a little boy after a fight at a turkey shoot on January 3, 1900, at Lost Creek. During the same incident he shot and killed his cousin but was acquitted of his murder. In 1909 he killed another man in Breathitt County.
Jailer Turner was survived by his wife and ten children.
Survivors
Jailer Turner was survived by his wife and ten children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-E1CDCBF3- 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.
Jailer Turner served with the Breathitt County Jail.
Thank you for your service to the Jackson community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Jailer Turner.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Jailer John Wesley Turner 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Breathitt County Jail, 4 of 4 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. John Wesley Turner's cause is highlighted.
How John Wesley Turner Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Wesley Turner is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Breathitt County Jail are honored on badge.nw.
