In the spring of 1933, the life of 50-year-old Prohibition Agent Leroy Richard Wood was cut short during a violent encounter in Poinsett County, Arkansas. On April 15th, Agent Wood and his partner, Agent Ralph Keck, were on patrol when they pulled over a suspicious vehicle and arrested three men, Fred Wilkerson, Ott Wilkerson, and Albert Bradley, for the illegal transportation of liquor.
Due to the limited space in their two-seater government car, the agents made a fateful decision to separate the prisoners for transport.
Agent Wood rode in the government car, driven by Fred Wilkerson, while Agent Keck followed behind in the suspects' vehicle with the other two men. As they traveled towards Jonesboro, the procession passed the Wilkerson family farm. In a sudden and decisive move, Fred Wilkerson swerved the car at a high speed down the driveway and stopped in front of the house. A struggle immediately erupted between Agent Wood and Wilkerson inside the car.
The commotion drew Wilkerson's family members from the farmhouse, who joined the fray. Agent Keck, having followed them down the driveway, also became embroiled in the melee. In the ensuing chaos, Fred Wilkerson managed to seize one of the agents' firearms. With the help of his family members who held the agents, Wilkerson shot Agent Wood in the head and also wounded Agent Keck.
Leroy Richard Wood was rushed to St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro, but his injuries were too severe, and he succumbed to them the following morning, on April 16, 1933. Agent Keck, however, survived the attack. Fred Wilkerson later confessed to the murder of Agent Wood. He, along with his two sons, aged 23 and 24, were arrested and charged with murder. On October 13, 1933, all three were convicted. The father received a 10-year sentence, while his sons were sentenced to 15 and 21 years respectively.
