Constable Walter J. Lovett, a male officer of the Farmville Police Department in North Carolina, tragically died on January 20, 1906, at the age of 30. He was fatally shot while attempting to serve a warrant on two men involved in a disturbance. As Constable Lovett approached the suspects, one of them opened fire, fatally wounding him.
Both suspects were apprehended and charged with Constable Lovett's murder.
The suspect who shot Constable Lovett was sentenced to death and hanged in Greenville on January 15, 1907. The second suspect received a 25-year prison sentence.
Constable Lovett had been appointed as constable only three weeks before his death, making his end of watch a particularly tragic event for the Farmville community. His sacrifice is remembered and honored by fellow officers and citizens alike.
