Wesley C. Sellars

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Police Department — Jacksonville, FL

Felonious

End of Watch August 8, 1906

Age 37

The Vigil Panel 21 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Location: Florida Weapon: Shotgun Offender: Sentenced to life

Special Agent Wesley Sellars was shot to death from ambush by two men at the railroad depot in High Springs, Florida. Agent Sellars was investigating the looting of freight cars by a gang of thugs, who were also terrorizing the community. Two of the gang members were arrested and charged with his murder in 1908.

Both suspects were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. One was pardoned by Governor Park Trammell on August 29, 1915. The other suspect, an ex-Savannah, Georgia, police officer, fired the shotgun blast at close range that nearly severed Agent Sellars head from his body. He had a history of escape attempts and escaped with the help of prison guard in 1911. The guard was convicted of aiding an inmate in an escape and sentenced to a term in prison. The suspect was apprehended several months later in Cuba and returned to prison. Both suspects were linked to eight unsolved murders in the High Springs Atlantic Coast Line rail yard before and after Agent Sellars murder. They were never charged because of insufficient evidence. The murders and the terrorizing of citizens stopped after the two were apprehended. The pardoned suspect returned to his old haunts.

Special Agent Sellars served several years as a policeman with the Tampa Police Department.

Rest in peace always knowing that no passage of time will ever erase your memory, service and sacrifice.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) August 8th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RR-FC6CE403
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.
Special Agent Sellars served with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Jacksonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Sellars.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Police Department

Location Jacksonville, FL

Platform Identity aclrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 8, 1906

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Sentenced to life

Special Agent Wesley C. Sellars 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Police Department, 6 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.7% of this agency's fallen.

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Police Department

of 7 officers

85.7% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious