Bio & Incident Details
Age: 37
Tour: 9 years
Badge # G-235
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 5/31/1979
Weapon: Rifle; .30-.06
Suspect: Executed in 1984
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Trooper Robert Peterson, Deputy Millard Messersmith, and Deputy Roy Huskey were shot and killed after responding to a domestic dispute between a man and his teenager daughter in Rutherford County. Deputy Huskey was the first officer dispatched to the scene and was shot in the head by the suspect as he exited his patrol car. When Deputy Huskey failed to check in Deputy Messersmith responded to the scene. As he pulled into the driveway he saw Deputy Huskey laying next to the patrol car, and he began to back out of the driveway.
The suspect opened fire on Deputy Messersmith as he backed out of the driveway, striking him in the head. A neighbor called the sheriff's office to report that two deputies had been shot. Trooper Peterson heard garbled radio traffic, and although couldn't make out the transmissions, determined something was wrong and began to head toward Rutherfordton. As he drove into town the suspect sped by him.
Trooper Peterson turned around and attempted to stop the car, thinking it was a speeding vehicle and not knowing the suspect had just murdered two deputies. Trooper Peterson's last transmission was that the suspect was running into the woods. Trooper Peterson as found suffering a from a gunshot wound to the head. His service revolver had been fired one. The suspect was apprehended, convicted of capital murder, and executed in 1984.
Trooper Peterson had served with the agency for 9 years, and was the longest-assigned physical training instructor in the North Carolina Highway Patrol Training Center history. He was survived by his sister.
Related Line of Duty Deaths
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Deputy Sheriff Millard Owen Messersmith |
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Deputy Sheriff Roy Huskey |
