Rockcastle County Sheriff's Office, Kentucky
End of Watch: Saturday, January 16, 1932
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 16, 1932
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 2 years
Sheriff Tipton was shot and killed by a Kentucky prison guard whom he had accused of providing insufficient security for a prisoner. The guard had brought the prisoner to the Rockcastle County Courthouse to testify against his brother in a bank fraud trial.
The guard was arrested by another deputy and the Mt. Vernon city marshal after murdering Sheriff Tipton. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to two years in the same prison where he worked.
Sheriff Tipton had served with the Rockcastle County Sheriff's Office for seven years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, two grandchildren, and several siblings.