In the line of duty, 44-year-old Caucasian male, Chief Deputy Jody Wayne Cash of the Calloway County Sheriff's Office, lost his life on a Monday afternoon, May 16, 2022. The fatal encounter occurred just outside the Marshall County Sheriff's Office in Benton, Kentucky, at approximately 2:10 PM. Deputy Cash was at the facility to interview a suspect, 30-year-old Gary Rowland of Murray, Kentucky.
Rowland had been taken into custody earlier that day by the Marshall County Special Response Team on outstanding warrants for parole violations and offenses related to drugs and firearms.
The interview was underway when Rowland made a request for a smoke break. Deputy Cash, along with another deputy, granted his request and escorted him outside. It was during this break that the situation took a tragic turn. Rowland managed to produce a 9mm handgun that had been concealed on his person and opened fire, striking Deputy Cash. In the immediate aftermath, the two other deputies who were present, Donald Bowman and Brandon Little, returned fire, and Rowland was killed at the scene. Deputy Cash was rushed to Marshall County Hospital for medical attention, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Subsequent investigations into the tragic event revealed that a critical oversight had occurred when Rowland was initially taken into custody. He had not been thoroughly searched, which allowed him to retain the concealed weapon he would later use to fatally wound Deputy Cash. In connection with the incident, a female was later prosecuted and sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Her conviction was for the illegal transportation of the stolen firearm that was ultimately used in the death of Deputy Cash. His distinguished career in law enforcement included service with the Kentucky State Police, the Murray State University Police Department, and the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. He is survived by his wife and two children.
