Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Ed Slaven and Sheriff Horace Taylor were shot and killed as they attempted to arrest a drunk miner for making a disturbance in Zenith, Tennessee.
Deputy Slaven was the mine foreman and had requested Sheriff Taylor come to the mine to help arrest the man. After shooting Sheriff Taylor the man hid behind several coal cars on a railroad siding. Deputy Slaven was shot as he attempted to subdue him by the coal cars.
A posse shot and killed the man after a short standoff.
Sheriff Taylor died the following day.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-EB15C9E5- 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 Slaven served with the Fentress County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Jamestown community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Slaven.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Ezra Edd Slaven 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 Fentress County Sheriff'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. Ezra Edd Slaven's cause is highlighted.
How Ezra Edd Slaven Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ezra Edd Slaven is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ezra Edd Slaven was killed by shotgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Fentress County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
