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William Lonnie Cox
Agency patch
Transport Officer

William Lonnie Cox

Tennessee Department of Correction — Nashville, TN
Felonious
United States flag Tennessee flag
End of Watch November 9, 1951
Age 40
The Vigil Panel 87 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 13

Incident

Transportation Officer William Cox was shot and killed by a fugitive he was returning to Tennessee's Brushy Mountain Prison in Petros. Joe Blevins, a records clerk at the prison, who was with Officer Cox was also killed.

The 22 year-old suspect, serving a three year sentence for receiving stolen property, had escaped from the prison three weeks earlier. Two days later he was recaptured in Louisville, Kentucky.

Officer Cox and Clerk Blevins had stopped with their prisoner at a restaurant near Somerset, Kentucky, for lunch. The handcuffs were removed from the prisoner to permit him to eat. As the three were eating the suspect suddenly snatched Officer Cox's revolver from his holster and opened fire, killing Officer Cox instantly and fatally wounding Clerk Blevins. The suspect fled in Officer Cox's car and abandoned it five miles away in Shafter. The next day he walked into the Somerset Police Department and gave himself up.

The suspect was convicted of two counts of murder. He died at the Kentucky Sate Prison in Eddyville July 2, 1962.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Transport Officer Cox served with the Tennessee Department of Correction.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Transport Officer Cox.

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

Agency

Department Tennessee Department of Correction
Type Corrections
Location Nashville, Davidson County, TN
Platform Identity tdc.davidson.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 9, 1951
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1951, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 40. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Tennessee Department of Correction has 14 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years

Transport Officer William Lonnie Cox

Tennessee Department of Correction · End of Watch November 9, 1951

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 29-E

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