In the summer of 1958, the life of Trooper Ermon Boyce Cox, a 35-year-old male, was tragically cut short in Little Rock, Arkansas. On August 17th, while off-duty and accompanied by his nine-year-old son, Trooper Cox observed a driver he suspected of being intoxicated. Taking action, he followed the individual to a nearby driveway.
The situation escalated quickly and violently. The man he had been following rushed into his residence, only to emerge moments later armed with a rifle.
As Trooper Cox was backing his own vehicle away, the suspect opened fire, fatally wounding him through the windshield. The trooper had served with the Arkansas State Police for eight months.
The aftermath of the shooting saw a swift response from the justice system. The perpetrator was apprehended and subsequently convicted of first-degree murder on October 15, 1958. He was sentenced to death for his crime and was executed in the state's electric chair on January 2, 1959.
The legacy of Trooper Cox's service and sacrifice would be carried on by his son who was with him that fateful day. In a poignant tribute to his father, he would later join the Arkansas State Police, following in his father's footsteps and dedicating his own life to law enforcement.
