North Little Rock Police Department, Arkansas
End of Watch: Tuesday, April 16, 1963
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 16, 1963
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Released in 1985
Patrolman Jerrell Vaughan was shot and killed after he and another officer stopped two men in a vehicle on State Highway 130 (modern-day U.S. Route 165) three miles southeast of the city.
The two men in the vehicle had been involved in a barroom brawl earlier in the night. As Patrolman Vaughan approached the vehicle he was shot once in the chest. Despite being mortally wounded, he was able to return fire, striking the suspect five times in the chest.
The subject survived, was later convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to death. He was later awarded a new trial that resulted in a second murder conviction and was sentenced to life. In 1975 he escaped from prison. He was captured five years later in South Lake Tahoe, California. In 1985 he was released from prison when evidence surfaced revealing that Patrolman Vaughan may have been killed by the man's companion.
Patrolman Vaughan is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.