In the late afternoon of a Sunday in Byron, Georgia, a dispute between neighbors over the use of ATVs set in motion a chain of events that would end in tragedy. Responding to a 911 call on November 6, 2016, were Peach County Sheriff's Deputy Daryl Wayne Smallwood, a 39-year-old male, and Sergeant Patrick Sondron. The two officers arrived at the residence on Hardison Road to interview the individuals who reported being threatened by a neighbor with a firearm.
After gathering initial statements, Deputy Smallwood and Sergeant Sondron proceeded to the home of the suspect, Ralph Stanley Elrod. As the deputies approached the house, Elrod emerged and, without warning, opened fire. Both officers were struck by the gunfire. The individuals who had initially called 911 witnessed the shooting and immediately made a second call to report that the deputies had been shot.
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies rushed to the scene. Elrod had armed himself further and took cover behind a patrol car, firing at the responding officers before he was shot, wounded, and taken into custody. Sergeant Sondron succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital that same day. Deputy Smallwood was critically wounded and placed on life support. He fought for two days before passing away on November 8, 2016.
The suspect, Ralph Stanley Elrod, who was 57 years old at the time of the incident, was charged with murder and multiple counts of aggravated assault. Security footage from Elrod's home reportedly showed him putting on a bulletproof vest after shooting the two deputies. To avoid the death penalty, Elrod pleaded guilty and, in September 2018, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 100 years. Deputy Smallwood was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and had served in law enforcement for over a decade.
