Derwin Brown

Sheriff-elect Brown was shot and killed in an ambush-style attack organized by the incumbent sheriff he had beaten in the recent election.

The sheriff-elect had just returned home from a celebration with family and friends when he was shot 11 times while in his front yard. Sheriff-elect Brown had vowed to end corruption in the sheriff's department during his campaign for sheriff. After a long investigation by state and federal law enforcement agencies, three suspects were arrested, including the former sheriff and a former sheriff's deputy. The former sheriff was later convicted of arranging the murder as well as multiple counts of theft and racketeering. As of October 21, 2023, the former sheriff, now 83, was in prison.

Sheriff-elect Brown had been with the DeKalb County Department of Public Safety for 22 years and was scheduled to be sworn in as Sheriff three days after his death.