In the small town of Tyronza, Arkansas, the life of Deputy Sheriff J. P. Chandler was cut short on the cold winter day of January 7, 1912. A dedicated male officer of the Poinsett County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Chandler was engaged in the perilous duty of law enforcement when he met his untimely demise. He was part of a posse that had tracked a fugitive, a man wanted on a warrant from Alabama for the shooting of another individual, to a residence in Tyronza.
As the officers closed in, a
strategic decision was made for Deputy Chandler to cover the rear exit of the house while another deputy approached the front. The plan, however, took a tragic turn. As the second deputy made his entry through the front door, the brother of the wanted man, who was also inside the house, opened fire on Deputy Chandler from the back of the residence. The shots were fatal, and Deputy Chandler was killed in the line of duty, his life sacrificed in an instant of violence.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the suspect managed to escape, disappearing from the scene and evading capture for a considerable period. The arm of the law, though patient, is long. The assailant remained at large for over a year, but his freedom came to an end in May of 1913 when he was finally apprehended in Missouri. Following his arrest, he was brought to justice for the murder of Deputy Sheriff J. P. Chandler. The legal process concluded with his conviction, and on March 12, 1914, he was executed for his crime.
