In the late summer of 1950, a dedicated lawman, 42-year-old Chief Deputy Sheriff Ray A. Campbell of St. Francis County, Arkansas, found his life tragically cut short. The events that led to his untimely death began to unfold with a seemingly routine case of cattle theft. Two men, Aubrey Smith and Peter Dorsey, were taken into custody in Pulaski County on suspicion of stealing a cow and a calf.
On the evening of August 3, 1950, Deputy Campbell and his partner, Deputy Otis Tatum, arrived in Little Rock to transport the two suspects back to Forrest City to face charges.
The journey back to St. Francis County took a dark and violent turn. With the two deputies in the front seat and Smith and Dorsey handcuffed together in the back, a desperate plan for escape was put into motion. As they traveled along the Memphis-Little Rock Highway, the two prisoners managed to overpower the officers. In the ensuing struggle, one of the suspects gained control of a service weapon and opened fire inside the patrol car. Deputy Campbell was struck in the head and chest and died almost instantly. Deputy Tatum was also critically wounded in the chaos. A passing motorist witnessed the gunfire and saw two men flee from the vehicle, disappearing into the night.
The aftermath of the roadside ambush left a scene of carnage. Deputy Campbell was deceased, and the severely injured Deputy Tatum managed to get out of the car and flag down help. A manhunt for the escaped prisoners was quickly launched. The search for Aubrey Smith and Peter Dorsey was extensive, but their freedom was short-lived. The two men were apprehended near Forrest City several hours after the shooting. Their capture brought a swift and decisive legal response to the murder of a law enforcement officer.
The case against Aubrey Smith and his accomplice, Peter Dorsey, moved quickly through the justice system. Both men, identified in historical records as Negro residents of St. Francis County, were convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Chief Deputy Sheriff Ray A. Campbell. The sentences handed down were the harshest possible. In the months that followed, both Smith and Dorsey were executed in the electric chair for their roles in the violent crime that ended the life of a dedicated officer and left a community in mourning. Aubrey Smith was executed on July 27, 1951, and Peter Dorsey followed on November 23, 1951. Ray A. Campbell was survived by his wife and son.
