Bessemer Police Department, Alabama
End of Watch: Thursday, October 1, 1981
Age: 37
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 1, 1981
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Officer Thedford was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a burglary suspect following a stake out. The suspect opened fire when Officer Thedford identified himself.
The suspect was a convicted killer recently released from prison. He had served two years of a 12 year sentence for second degree murder. Since 1966 he had been arrested for burglary ten times. He was also under indictment for attempted murder since his release. He was convicted of Officer Thedford's murder and sentenced to death.
Officer Thedford was survived by his wife and child.