In the small town of Ashdown, Arkansas, a dedicated lawman's life was tragically cut short in the line of duty. Constable Lee Roy Selman, a 36-year-old male, was shot and killed on June 19, 1928, while attempting to apprehend a wanted fugitive. The suspect was already a known danger to law enforcement, having been previously arrested for the murder of a Texarkana Police Department officer, Hence C.
Giles, in January of that same year.
The events leading to Constable Selman's death began to unfold two months prior, when the suspect managed to escape from the Miller County Jail. He remained at large until that fateful day in June when Constable Selman located him. During the attempt to take him into custody, the fugitive opened fire, fatally wounding the constable. The loss was deeply felt within the Ashdown community and the Little River County Sheriff's Office, where Selman had served.
Following the murder of Constable Selman, a manhunt ensued for the fugitive. He was eventually captured in the neighboring Sevier County. In addition to the murders of Constable Selman and Policeman Giles, he was also charged with a third killing. His violent spree did not end with his capture; years later, in 1933, he was involved in a prison escape in Louisiana that resulted in the deaths of a captain and two guards.
