On a cold Saturday, January 27, 1912, Deputy Sheriff Edwin F. Mayberry of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office was killed in the line of duty. A male lawman, his day was consumed with the pursuit of a man who had reportedly assaulted his own wife. An initial attempt to apprehend the suspect earlier that day had failed, as the man managed to escape and retreat to the supposed safety of his home in Roe, Arkansas.
Undeterred, Deputy Mayberry followed, riding his horse to the man's residence
with the intention of serving a warrant for his arrest. However, before he could even dismount his horse, he was met with a sudden barrage of gunfire. The suspect, lying in wait, had opened fire on the approaching lawman, striking him and causing his death at the scene.
The individual who shot Deputy Mayberry immediately fled, sparking a manhunt that would last for several months. It wasn't until July of that same year that the fugitive was located and apprehended in Jefferson County, finally bringing a close to the search for the man who had taken the life of a dedicated officer.
