In the small town of Selmer, Tennessee, a call about a suspicious person on a Saturday afternoon ended in tragedy, claiming the life of a dedicated law enforcement officer. Sergeant Rick Finley, a 39-year-old male officer with the McNairy County Sheriff's Office who also served as a part-time officer for the Selmer Police Department, was killed in the line of duty on December 14, 2024. The incident unfolded around 3:00 p.m.
in the 100 block of New Bethel Road after police received reports of a man attempting to force his way into a residence and firing multiple shots into the door.
Upon arriving at the scene, Sergeant Finley located the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Daniel Jeremiah Holmes, in the driveway of a nearby home. An altercation ensued, during which Holmes reportedly attacked Finley and then shot him multiple times. Finley, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran and a 13-year veteran of the McNairy County Sheriff's Office, was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. He was a husband and father, remembered by his colleagues and community as a brave and kind man with a 'heart of gold.'
Moments after Sergeant Finley was shot, another Selmer Police Department officer, Lieutenant Ron Pilkington, arrived at the scene. Pilkington engaged the suspect, returning fire and fatally shooting Holmes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate the officer-involved shooting at the request of the 25th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Subsequent reports revealed that Holmes had an extensive criminal record, with charges dating back over a decade that included domestic assault, drug possession, and harassment. The community mourned the loss of Sergeant Finley, honoring a man who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting his community.
