Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Murphy Potter was shot and killed on Buck Mountain while investigating the sounds of gunfire at about 5:30 pm.
He and several other officers were on the mountain when they heard the shots. A short time later the officers encountered a group of young men, including one of Deputy Potter's nephews. The men in the group denied having fired any shots but Deputy Potter remained unconvinced. As he started searching his nephew, the man produced a pistol and fatally shot him.
His nephew was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to one year in prison.
Deputy Potter also served as a forest guard in the Unaka National Forest, which later became the Pisgah National Forest.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-A97E567A- 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 Potter served with the Carter County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Elizabethton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Potter.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Murphy Allen Potter 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Murphy Allen Potter's cause is highlighted.
How Murphy Allen Potter Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to one year
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Murphy Allen Potter is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Murphy Allen Potter was killed by handgun.