Fred Earl Babb, a 37-year-old white male, was an officer with the Apalachicola Police Department in Florida. On December 1, 1967, Officer Babb was tragically killed in the line of duty. The incident began when a suspect, who had recently been released from prison, helped another prisoner escape from a prison camp in Arcadia. The suspect then stole a car and drove to Tallahassee, where he committed a robbery, stealing $100 from a woman and taking her car.
Running out of gas, the suspect was given a ride to Apalachicola, where he subsequently stole a deputy sheriff's patrol car.
Officer Babb spotted the suspect and gave chase, eventually cornering him at the end of a dead-end street. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Officer Babb was struck three times and killed instantly. The suspect fled in the stolen patrol car to Port St. Joe, where he sped past a police roadblock. Officers fired at the vehicle, causing the suspect to crash. He fled on foot but was later captured hiding under a nearby house.
The suspect, a 28-year-old male, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He was convicted and sentenced to death on April 2, 1968. However, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1972. The suspect managed to escape from prison in 1979 but was quickly recaptured. This case highlights the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and the severe consequences for those who commit violent crimes against them.
