James Madison Beard

In a tragic turn of events, the life of a dedicated public servant, James Madison Beard, was cut short within the very walls of the institution he had sworn to protect. At 67 years old, the male Chief of Police was a veteran of the Buena Vista Police Department, having served his community for 37 years. His long and respected career came to a violent end inside the Buena Vista courthouse and jail located at 2110 Magnolia Avenue.

The fatal encounter began when a prisoner, who had been tran ...