Roll of Honor
Incident
Town Marshal Lee Phillips was killed by a mob of men while trying to break up a group creating a drunken disturbance. Town Marshal Phillips responded to the Cozy Corner Cafe in response to a drunken, disorderly citizen. As Town Marshal Phillips sought to arrest the suspect, a group of the suspect's friends confronted Town Marshal Phillips. At that time, Town Marshal Phillips left the scene to request the assistance of the Itawamba County Sheriff. During his absence, the group left the cafe and went to the nearby stables. When Town Marshal Phillips and the Sheriff returned and found the group at the stables, they were attacked by the group of men. Town Marshal Phillips was fatally struck in the head with a board; the Sheriff was also struck several times with the same board and suffered various injuries to the shoulder and head. A bystander stepped in a wrestled the board away before the Sheriff could be further injured. The Sheriff managed to get the person that first assaulted him into custody and transported him to jail. The rest of the suspects fled the scene. Town Marshall Phillips was transported by ambulance to the Community Hospital in Tupelo, Mississippi where he was pronounced dead. After an exhaustive manhunt by 12 Mississippi Highway Patrol Officers, Policemen, and Deputy Sheriffs from two states, and Itawamba County residents, the main suspect was located, taken into custody and transported to the Tupelo Jail in Lee County, Mississippi, and later moved to an undisclosed location. The main suspect and an accomplice, ages 22 and 23, were charged with murder. The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. His accomplice's trial resulted in a mistrial. On January 15, 1960, Governor J. P. Coleman pardoned the one convicted of murder. In April of 1973, he and his brother shot and killed two men and a woman in Itawamba County. On March 8, 1974, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He applied for parole in 1982 and was released on an unk
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- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
22 years. You could have gone home.
Town Marshal Phillips gave the Fulton Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Fulton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Marshal Phillips.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Town Marshal Lee Phillips 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lee Phillips's cause is highlighted.
How Lee Phillips Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lee Phillips is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Lee Phillips was killed by blunt object; lumber.