In the summer of 1977, a visit to his brother would tragically be the final act in the life of 27-year-old Chattanooga Police Patrolman Clarence E. Hamler. On August 14th, Hamler, a Black/African American male and a four-year veteran of the police force, stopped by the Red Food Store on South Broad Street where his brother worked. What began as a simple visit quickly escalated into a violent confrontation that would cut his life short. Two armed men entered the grocery store with the intent to rob it, forever altering the lives of everyone present.
As the robbery unfolded, Officer Hamler intervened. In a sudden and brutal turn of events, as he rounded a corner within the store, one of the assailants shot him in the head and neck. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Hamler's brother heroically took up his fallen brother's firearm and fatally shot one of the suspects. The second suspect, a 53-year-old man, managed to escape the scene, sparking a determined and widespread manhunt.
The search for the second suspect concluded three months later. His capture brought a man with a long and storied criminal history to justice. This individual was no stranger to the legal system, having spent the majority of his life behind bars and having a history of escapes. At the time of the fatal robbery, he was on a work-release program. His trial for the murder of Patrolman Hamler resulted in a death sentence. However, this sentence was later commuted to life in prison.
