George Washington Mumford Sr., aged 41, was a Deputy Sheriff in Wilson County, North Carolina. On February 3, 1911, he was fatally shot while serving a warrant with a fellow Wilson police officer. The officers were attempting to apprehend four men wanted for burglary in Fayetteville and Dunn. When the officers arrived at the suspects' home, the men opened fire, and Deputy Mumford was fatally wounded.
As the suspects fled, one of them shot Deputy Mumford in the head three more times.
Following the incident, seven suspects were apprehended and convicted of Deputy Mumford's murder. The suspect who shot him was sentenced to death and executed in the electric chair on May 5, 1911. Another suspect received a 30-year sentence, while the remaining five received lesser sentences. Deputy Mumford was widowed at the time of his death and left behind seven children.
Deputy Sheriff George Washington Mumford Sr.'s sacrifice and bravery are remembered and honored in the history of Wilson County Law Enforcement. His legacy continues to inspire those who serve in law enforcement.
