Lewisburg Police Department, Tennessee
End of Watch: Saturday, February 1, 1975
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 10 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident:
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Patrolman Billy Blackwell was shot and killed from ambush by a man as he was responding to a disturbance on Fourth Avenue in Lewisburg at 6:30 am.
The 60-year-old suspect was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 60 years on June 19, 1975. In November of 1977, he was retried and sentenced to 75 years for second-degree murder. His request for a third trial was denied in 1986. He died in prison on January 30, 1989.
Patrolman Blackwell was a United States Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Lewisburg Police Department for 10 months. He was survived by his wife, daughter, parents, two sisters, and two brothers, who also served in law enforcement.