Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina
End of Watch: Tuesday, March 3, 1953
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 3, 1953
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 40 years
Sheriff Frank Crawford was shot and killed in the town of Hanging Dog, North Carolina while attempting to serve a warrant on a man for arson.
The suspect had a long-standing grudge against Sheriff Crawford and had threatened in the past to kill him if the sheriff ever attempted to arrest him again.
As Sheriff Crawford stepped out of his car at the end of the man's driveway, the man shot him in the chest with a shotgun, killing him instantly. The suspect fled into the woods, where he was apprehended later in the night.
The suspect was convicted of murdering Sheriff Crawford and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to 40 years in prison. He was released from prison on January 12, 1978.
Sheriff Crawford was a United States Navy Reserve WWII veteran and served with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office for 20 years. He was survived by his wife, son, father, sister, and brother, who was also a deputy with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. His nephew was appointed sheriff after his death.