Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Chester Tullos, a traveling sergeant with the Mississippi State Penitentiary and former sheriff of Smith County, was shot and killed while he and a guard were transporting two inmates from Hattiesburg to the Mississippi State Penitentiary. While they were driving six miles north of Hattiesburg, one of the inmates grabbed a revolver that had been hidden inside of the vehicle. The prisoner shot Sergeant Tullos and then handcuffed the guard to a nearby tree. They threw Sergeant Tullos's body from the vehicle as they sped away. One inmate was quickly captured. The shooter, a 26-year-old convicted murderer, was shot and killed six weeks later in Hattiesburg by the Forrest County sheriff and two of his deputies. Sergeant Tullos had served with the Mississippi Department of Corrections for eight years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-3E252E05- 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.
Sergeant Tullos gave the Mississippi Department of Corrections 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Tullos.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Chester J. Tullos 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 MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 15.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Mississippi Department of Corrections, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Chester J. Tullos's cause is highlighted.
How Chester J. Tullos Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Chester J. Tullos is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Chester J. Tullos was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Mississippi Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
