In the small town of Cedartown, Georgia, a tragedy unfolded on September 29, 2017, that would forever mark the community. On that day, 29-year-old Kristen Hearne, a dedicated detective with the Polk County Police Department, was killed in the line of duty. A five-year veteran of the department, she was a wife to a fellow officer and a mother to their young son. Her death was the first in the line of duty in the department's 60-year history.
The events leading to Hearne's death began with a routine call to investigate a suspicious vehicle on a rural road. Hearne responded as backup to another officer. As they were investigating a stolen car, two individuals, later identified as Seth Brandon Spangler and Samantha Roof, emerged from the nearby woods. During the encounter, Spangler allegedly brandished a handgun and opened fire. The other officer was struck in his bulletproof vest and survived, but Hearne was shot multiple times and sustained a fatal wound.
Following the shooting, a massive manhunt was launched for Spangler and Roof, who had fled the scene. Roof was apprehended a short time later. Spangler, however, remained at large for several hours, prompting the first-ever use of Georgia's Blue Alert, a system to notify the public of threats to law enforcement. He was eventually captured after emerging from the woods.
Both Spangler and Roof were arrested and faced charges of murder and aggravated assault. In the years that followed, the case moved through the legal system. In March 2022, Seth Brandon Spangler pleaded guilty to murder. By doing so, he avoided a potential death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The case against Samantha Roof was still progressing at that time. Kristen Hearne was posthumously honored for her service and sacrifice, remembered by her family, colleagues, and community as a hero who was passionate about her work and dedicated to making a difference.
