Clarence Lee Ellison

Rhea County Sheriff's Department — Dayton, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 17, 1923

Age 27

The Vigil Panel 45 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Lee Ellison was shot and killed while searching for a moonshine still in the mountains near his home in Roddy, Tennessee.

A large search for him was started the following day when he failed to return home. A blood-soaked handkerchief was found in the area he had told his wife he would be searching. His body was located one week later near a Southern Railroad trestle between Roddy and Glen Alice. An autopsy revealed that he had been shot 13 times.

Several men were arrested and charged with his murder. One, age 61, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. A second, age 21, was convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years. The suspect sentenced to life was pardoned by Governor Henry H. Horton on March 8, 1932, after the other suspect convinced the state attorney general that he was the killer.

Deputy Ellison was a WWI veteran. He was survived by his wife and children.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-A864270B
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Ellison served with the Rhea County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Dayton community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Rhea County Sheriff's Department

Location Dayton, TN

Platform Identity rcso.rhea.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 17, 1923

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Clarence Lee Ellison served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Clarence Lee Ellison 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 Rhea County Sheriff's Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Rhea County Sheriff's Department

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious