In the winter of 1977, on a late December day in Atlanta, Georgia, the life of a young law enforcement officer was tragically cut short. David Larry Folds, a 24-year-old Deputy Marshal with the Fulton County Marshal's Department, was killed in the line of duty. He was a dedicated officer, having served his community for three years.
The events that led to his untimely death began to unfold on Wednesday, December 28, 1977, at a residence located at 1483 Westwood Avenue S.W.
An officer had been dispatched to the address to carry out an eviction involving two men. During the attempt to serve the eviction notice, the situation escalated, and the officer was shot and wounded. A distress call was made, and Deputy Marshal Folds was among those who responded to the urgent request for backup.
As he arrived at the scene and was exiting his patrol car, gunfire erupted from the house, aimed at the officers. In the ensuing chaos, Deputy Marshal Folds was struck. He was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, but his wounds proved to be fatal. The violent encounter at the Westwood Avenue home also resulted in the death of one of the two men being evicted; he was identified as the individual who had shot the first officer.
The second man involved in the confrontation was taken into custody at the scene. He was subsequently arrested and faced a charge of murder in connection with the death of Deputy Marshal David Larry Folds. The name of the suspect who was killed and the name of the individual who was arrested and charged, along with the specifics of the ensuing legal proceedings, including any trial and conviction, are not detailed in the available online sources.
