In the early morning hours of June 14, 1994, a violent encounter in Greenville, Alabama, claimed the life of 25-year-old Police Officer Gary Wayne Heath. He had been with the Greenville Police Department for ten months at the time of his death.
The incident unfolded at approximately 4:00 a.m. at a convenience store where a robbery was in progress. Officer Heath intervened and was shot and killed by the suspect.
A store attendant, Pamela Jean 'Pam' Scruggs, who was 29 years old, was also tragically killed during the robbery.
The man responsible for the deaths of Officer Heath and Ms. Scruggs embarked on a multi-state crime spree. The suspect, after taking Officer Heath's service weapon, continued his violent path. His rampage extended into Mississippi, where he later murdered Deputy Len J. Rowell of the Pearl River County Sheriff's Department and Lieutenant Coy Smith of the Alabama Public Service Commission.
The pursuit of the suspect came to an end when he was surrounded by law enforcement officers. Faced with capture, the suspect took his own life. The series of violent acts that began with the death of Officer Gary Wayne Heath concluded with the suicide of the perpetrator, leaving a trail of devastation across two states.
