Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief J.E. Westbrook was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant on a man for passing a forged check.
The suspect was sentenced to death, but escaped from prison while his case was being appealed to the United States Supreme Court. He was arrested in Calgary, Canada, and returned to Mississippi. He was executed by hanging on December 14, 1928.
I discovered this story by accident doing genealogy on a newspaper site. I was born in the town and county this happened in fifty years ago and I live here still. This story continued until December 1928 when the killer, Robert Percy Lofton was lead out of his cell in Magnolia Mississippi and hung right there on the grounds. In-between the tragic murder of Chief Westbrook and the death sentence being carried out is a pretty incredible story of jailbreaks, contraband and manhunts worthy of being on the big screen. I came across this site while looking to find the newspaper articles again and write them out into one continuous story. I plan on when finished, sharing this story with people and I brought it up to the owners of the local history museum. I'm not law enforcement nor pretending to be. I do respect and am very grateful to our police officers.
Jacob Smith McComb Mississippi/Pike County Historian September 29th, 2024
In Our Keeping
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- 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.
Chief of Police Westbrook served with the McComb Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the McComb community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Westbrook.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police J. E. Westbrook 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 McComb Police Department, 3 of 3 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. J. E. Westbrook's cause is highlighted.
How J. E. Westbrook Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1928
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. J. E. Westbrook is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. J. E. Westbrook was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from McComb Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
