Maryville Police Department, Tennessee
End of Watch: Sunday, January 2, 1938
Age: 66
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 2, 1938
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Released in 1950
Police Officer Barton Coker was shot and killed after he and his partner stopped a 21-year-old man and his 18-year-old girlfriend as they exited a lumber yard on McGee Street shortly after midnight.
When the officers approached, the man drew a handgun and opened fire, killing Officer Coker.
Both subjects were apprehended. The man was sentenced to death his sentence was later commuted to 99 years. He was released in December 1950 after Governor Gordon Browning reduced his sentence to 12 years. His girlfriend was sentenced to 21 years but was released after serving only a few months.