Lafayette County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch: Monday, February 25, 1901
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 25, 1901
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Sheriff Mathis was shot and killed by a murder suspect that he and his posse were in pursuit of.
A few hours earlier, the suspect had shot and mortally wounded a naval stores operator in his commissary on the Suwanee River. When Sheriff Mathis came upon the suspect, a demand to surrender was met with gunfire. Sheriff Mathis fell mortally wounded but was able to return fire and killed the suspect.