Livingston University Police Department, Alabama
End of Watch: Saturday, June 21, 1980
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 21, 1980
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Officer Carlton Sudduth was shot and killed after making a traffic stop on a road leading onto the university's campus. Officer Sudduth was blocking the road after the nearby robbery of a convenience store. He radioed that he was stopping a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. No further radio contact was made with Officer Sudduth. He was found on the road suffering from several gunshot wounds to the chest. It is thought that he approached the driver's window and was shot without warning.
The suspect was located a short time later and pursued by members of the Livingston Police Department and Sumter County Sheriff's Office. The suspect wrecked the vehicle after being shot at while attempting to run a roadblock that had been setup by members of the York Police Department. The suspect and a female accomplice were then taken into custody. The man was convicted of Officer Sudduth's murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was denied parole in 2013. He will be eligible for parole again in 2018.
Officer Sudduth had served with the agency for 9 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.