Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable Abner Dement succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on August 20th, 1878, while attempting to arrest a man wanted for stealing a horse.
He had accompanied the victim of the larceny to the suspect's home. Constable Dement advised the man he was under arrest and attempted to take him by the arm. The man pulled away and then shot Constable Dement in the abdomen.
The citizen who was with Constable Dement returned fire and wounded the subject. Constable Dement was taken to his home where his condition continued to deteriorate until he passed away on September 7th, 1878. The man who shot him was removed from the county jail in Murfreesboro and lynched by an angry mob after Constable Dement's death.
Constable Dement had served as the elected constable for Rutherford County's 22nd District for approximately eight years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-879B61CE- Stewardship
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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
148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Dement gave the Rutherford County Constable's Office 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Murfreesboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Abner Dement 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 Rutherford County Constable's Office, 2 of 2 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. Abner Dement's cause is highlighted.
How Abner Dement Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Abner Dement is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Abner Dement was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Rutherford County Constable's Office are honored on badge.nw.
