Harlan County Sheriff's Office, Kentucky
End of Watch: Saturday, May 21, 1927
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 21, 1927
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Deputy Moss Metcalf was shot and killed while attempting to break up a disturbance in front of a store near the Wilson-Berger Mine.
Deputy Metcalf had been called to the scene to quell an argument between four people. Shots were fired when he attempted to arrest one of the men who was holding a pistol and he was struck 10 ten times.
It is believed that the men staged the argument in order to lure Deputy Metcalf to the scene to kill him for revenge. Deputy Metcalf's brother, who was also a deputy, shot and killed the brother of one the men during an arrest the previous summer.
Two of the men were arrested a short time after the murder. Only one was tried for murder and he was acquitted.
Deputy Metcalf had served as a deputy for 18 months and had previously served with the Harlan Police Department. He was survived by his wife, two sons, parents, sister, and five brothers.