Tarboro Police Department, North Carolina
End of Watch: Saturday, March 3, 1917
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 3, 1917
Weapon Used: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 30 years
Officer Matt Gwatney and Officer Plummer Riggan were shot and killed while searching a house for illegal whiskey. When the officers and Police Chief Frank Pulley discovered the illegal stash the owner opened fire on them, killing both officers and wounding the city's mayor, who was with them. The suspect was subdued by Chief Pulley and a citizen who heard the shots and rushed in to help.
The suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison October 8, 1917. In 1897 the suspect was acquitted of murdering a man in Bethel. He died in prison September 30, 1920.
Chief Pulley went insane as a result of the tragedy and had to be committed to a mental institution in Raleigh. A few weeks later he escaped and walked to Tarboro. Miraculously as he reached the end of his walk his sanity had returned to him. Mayor Keech recovered from his wounds.
Both officers are buried beside each other in Tarboro at the Greenwood Cemetery on Howard Avenue. The house they were killed in was located on Trade Street where the Fountains on the Albermarle Retirement Community is now located.