In the rural landscape of Bibb County, Alabama, a dedicated public servant met a violent and untimely end. William Norvin Palmer, a 41-year-old agent with the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, was a man committed to his duty. A U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, he had been with the board for two years, leaving behind a wife, two children, his parents, and several siblings.
On Thursday, March 26, 1964, Agent Palmer was involved in a raid on a moonshine still in a remote area
known as 'Bulldog Bend,' approximately 14 miles north of Centreville. During the operation, he was shot and killed. The nature of his work was inherently dangerous, and on that spring day, the risks became a tragic reality.
The aftermath of the shooting saw a swift response from law enforcement. A 34-year-old suspect was quickly apprehended in connection with Agent Palmer's murder. The judicial process that followed resulted in a conviction for murder and a sentence of life in prison for the perpetrator.
However, the story did not end there. On October 18, 1966, the convicted killer, along with three other inmates, managed to escape from the Bibb County Jail. A week later, he resurfaced in Maringouin, Louisiana, where he robbed a bank. His time as a fugitive came to an end on December 23, 1966, when he was captured in Juarez, Mexico. Following his capture, he was returned to Baton Rouge to face charges for the bank robbery, adding another chapter to a case that began with the tragic death of an officer in the line of duty.
