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James Melvin

Death by Force
Case Description
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In the late summer of 1921, a dedicated lawman named James Melvin, who held the position of Chief of Police in Paintsville, Kentucky, met a tragic and violent end. On August 26th, Chief Melvin was engaged in the perilous work of enforcing Prohibition, a time when the illegal production and sale of alcohol flourished in hidden corners of the nation. Alongside Federal Prohibition Agent J. H. Reynolds, he ventured into the rugged terrain of Johnson County to locate and dismantle an illicit still. T ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (2)
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  • John H. Reynolds | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
  • Chief of Police James Melvin
    • Victim Details

    James Melvin

    Male

    Johnson

    KY

    1921-08-26

    James

    Melvin

    12/05/2025

    Forum Posts (3)
    Hey everyone,
    I’ve been diving deep into the case of Chief James Melvin's murder and came acros... ...Read More
    10/29/2024
    I've been digging into the story of Chief James Melvin and stumbled upon something that struck me ab... ...Read More
    12/16/2023
    Wow, I've been reading about Chief Melvin's case and was stuck on the part where one of the convicte... ...Read More
    01/29/2023
    Other Cases from Johnson, Kentucky

    John Harvey Reynolds

    Death: Aug 26, 1921
    In the rugged hills of Johnson County, Kentucky, Federal Prohibition Agent John Harvey Reynolds foun u ...Read More