History of the Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office

The Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office officially began in 1873 with Sheriff D. F. Alcorn. Since Sheriff Alcorn there has been 34 Sheriff’s elected in CoahomaCounty. Sheriff Charles Jones is the 35 Sheriff of Coahoma County. History shows that there have been two female Sheriff’s, Mrs. Greek P. Rice in 1942 and Mrs. A. H. Gotcher in 1954. Both female Sheriff’s completed the terms that their husbands were unable to fulfill.

Unfortunately, history also shows that there has been one Sheriff and three Sheriff’s Deputies killed in the line of duty.

Sheriff A. H. Gotcher, elected to office in 1952 was killed on Saturday, June 26, 1954. Sheriff Gotcher was shot and killed as he and other Deputies searched a cotton warehouse for a man wanted for murder. The suspect shot Sheriff Gotcher five times when the Sheriff discovered him hiding behind a door. Deputies returned fire killing the suspect. (No picture avaliable)

Deputy Sheriff James Lucas was killed in the line of duty on Friday, January 11, 1901. Deputy Lucas was shot and killed from ambush near Friars Point by a bootlegger. The Deputy had a warrant for the suspect’s arrest, and was on his way to serve the warrant when the suspect shot him. A posse captured the suspect later that day. (No picture available)

Deputy Sheriff Frank Mullen was killed in the line of duty on Wednesday, March 18, 1914. Deputy Mullen was shot and killed at Friars Point by two men he attempted to arrest on a warrant for a minor offense. Both suspects were convicted of first degree murder and hanged on May 22, 1914. (No picture available)

Deputy Sheriff Jerry Wayne Hudgins was killed in the line of duty on Friday, October 19, 2007. Deputy Hudgins was killed in an automobile accident on Stovall Road while responding to a report of suspicious persons at a local grocery store. His patrol car left the roadway and struck a tree as he rounded a curve. (See picture of Deputy Hudgins below)

Pictorial History

Sheriff Andrew S. Thompson Jr. Term: 1988 - 2009	Sheriff Jesse D. Bonner Term: 1980 - 1988	Sheriff Thomas S. Hopkins Term: 1968-1980
Sheriff Leighton Miller Term: 1964 - 1968	Sheriff L. A. Ross Jr. Term: 1960 - 1964	Sheriff Leighton Miller Term: 1956 - 1960
Sheriff Mrs. A. H. Gotcher Term: 1954 - 1956	Sheriff A. H. Gotcher Term: 1952 - 1954	Sheriff Greek P. Rice Term: 1948 - 1952
Sheriff W. D. Rasberry Term: 1944 - 1948	Sheriff Mrs. Greek P. Rice Term: 1942 - 1944	Sheriff Greek P. Rice Term: 1941 - 1942
Sheriff Tom L. Gibson Term: 1941	Sheriff Ben R. Lombard Term: 1940	Sheriff W. L. Matthews Term: 1936 - 1940
Sheriff L. A. Ross Sr.  Term: 1932 - 1936	Sheriff W. L. Matthews Term: 1928 - 1932	Sheriff Dr. S. W. Glass Term: 1924 - 1928
Sheriff N. A. Cartledge Term: 1920 - 1924	Sheriff J. C. Baugh Term: 1916 - 1920	Sheriff W. H Fitzherald Term: 1912 - 1916
Sheriff J. C. Baugh Term: 1908 - 1912	Sheriff M. L. Bouldin Term: 1904 - 1908	Sheriff J. L. Shannon Term: 1901 - 1904
Sheriff George W. Fogg Term: 1900 - 1901	Sheriff F. P. Fitzgerald Term: 1896 - 1900	Sheriff R. N. Harris Term: 1892 - 1896
Sheriff Em M. Yerger Term: 1884 - 1892	Sheriff W. A. Alcorn Term: 1882 - 1884	Sheriff Jackson Fisher Term: 1872 - 1881
Sheriff George R. Alcorn Term: 1877	Sheriff M. S. Alcorn Term: 1876	Sheriff John Brown Term: 1874 - 1875
D. F. Alcorn Term: 1873	Deputy Jerry Wayne Hudgins Killed in the line of Duty