In the spring of 1942, a domestic disturbance call forever altered the lives of a Blytheville, Arkansas family and the community they served. On Sunday, March 22, Patrolman Dick Potter, a 30-year-old officer with the Blytheville Police Department, responded to a dispute at a local beauty salon. Having served on the force for a decade, Potter was a seasoned officer.
Upon his arrival, the situation escalated dramatically. A man, entangled in a conflict with his estranged wife, opened fire.
Patrolman Potter was struck by the gunfire and tragically succumbed to his injuries the following day. The suspect, after shooting Potter, then turned the weapon on his wife, killing her as well.
Other officers who arrived at the chaotic scene managed to wound and apprehend the suspect. The man responsible for the two deaths was taken into custody. His time in confinement was short-lived, however. On September 17, 1942, while incarcerated at the Tucker Prison Farm, the suspect suffered a stroke and died the next day. Patrolman Potter was survived by his wife.
