In the summer of 1920, a veteran law enforcement officer's life was tragically cut short in Little Rock, Arkansas. Officer Joe Erber, a 59-year-old male with 27 years of dedicated service to the Little Rock Police Department, responded to a call concerning a drunken disturbance on a houseboat located on the river near Lincoln Street. The events that unfolded on that Sunday, June 6th, would mark his final tour of duty.
Upon his arrival at the scene, Officer Erber was met with violence and
was fatally shot. The suspect, whose name was not immediately released in the initial reports, did not surrender peacefully. Instead, he fled the scene in a motorboat, taking his two young children with him and sparking a manhunt. The escape was short-lived, however, as authorities apprehended him several days later.
The man responsible for Officer Erber's death was subsequently brought to justice. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of the decorated officer. In a turn of events, the suspect was released from prison in 1930. Officer Erber was survived by his wife, a son, and five daughters, leaving behind a grieving family and a police department mourning the loss of one of their own.
