In the small city of Prescott, Arkansas, a dedicated 36-year-old male patrolman named Edward Samuel Virden tragically lost his life on September 21, 1958. Having served with the Prescott Police Department for just over a year, Virden was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, a husband, and a father to three children. His life was cut short inside the old city jail by a prisoner who managed to overpower and disarm him.
The series of events leading to Patrolman Virden's death began when he
arrested a man named Kenneth Nicely. Unbeknownst to Virden, Nicely was a fugitive, wanted in connection with the murder of an automobile salesman in London, Kentucky, from whom he had stolen a car the previous day. After being taken into custody in Prescott, Nicely was being held at the city jail. It was there that he fatally shot Patrolman Virden. Following the shooting, Nicely stole Virden's service revolver and his wallet before fleeing.
Nicely's time as a fugitive was short-lived. He fled to Texas, where a member of the Kingsville Police Department pulled him over during a traffic stop. When Nicely brandished Patrolman Virden's stolen revolver, he was shot by the officer. After recovering from his injuries, he was extradited back to Arkansas to face justice for the murder of Patrolman Virden.
Kenneth Nicely was subsequently convicted of the murder of Patrolman Edward Samuel Virden and sentenced to life in the Arkansas State Prison. In a strange turn of events, he was granted a temporary furlough in 1968 but failed to return, leading to an escape charge. He was eventually recaptured in Kentucky on June 27, 1974. As of 2021, he was still incarcerated and was noted as being Arkansas' longest-serving inmate.
