Burlington Police Department, North Carolina
End of Watch: Wednesday, December 7, 1938
Age: 55
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 7, 1938
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Patrolman Sonny Vaughn and Sheriff Mercellus Robertson, of the Alamance County Sheriff's Department, were shot and killed by two escaped convicts while responding to a burglary-in-progress at a service station at the corner of North Church Street and Trade Street.
Both were met with gunshots from the darkness as they entered the station. A third officer returned fire through a window killing one of the convicts as they tried to escape through a back door. The other convict escaped.
Both convicts had escaped from an Anson County Prison Camp on October 22, 1938.
Patrolman Vaughn was survived by his wife, two sons, and three daughters.