Earl M. Taylor

Monroe County Sheriff's Office — Madisonville, TN

Felonious

End of Watch May 25, 1966

Age 41

The Vigil Panel 101 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Taylor was shot and killed while delivering a death notice to a home on Ballplay Road. The occupant of the home was mentally disturbed and believed that the deputy was there to take him to the hospital. The suspect opened fire on Deputy Taylor, killing him. The 27-year-old suspect was sent to Central Mental Hospital in Nashville. On February 22, 1967, he and two other mental patients escaped, stole a car in the hospital parking lot, and fled. He was captured in Tellico Plains a month later.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-3151C637
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.
Deputy Sheriff Taylor served with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Madisonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Taylor.

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

Agency

Department Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Location Madisonville, TN

Platform Identity mcso.monroe.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 25, 1966

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Committed

Deputy Sheriff Earl M. Taylor 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Monroe County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Monroe County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

100% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious