McMinn County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee
End of Watch: Wednesday, August 20, 1975
Age: 54
Tour of Duty: 2 years, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 20, 1975
Weapon Used: Handgun; .22 caliber
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Deputy Sheriff Dan Mull was shot and killed as he ate breakfast at a truck stop.
Three people who had just committed an armed robbery thought that he was there to arrest them. The suspects walked up behind him and shot him. Deputy Mull was unaware that the armed robbery had taken place.
The suspects, two men, 22 and 23, and a girl 19, fled in a pickup truck. Deputy Mull's nephew, who worked at the truck stop, and a truck driver chased the suspects in his uncle's patrol car; ran them off the road and held them at gunpoint until deputies arrived. The 23-year-old gunman was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life. He died in prison at some point after his last mug shot was taken on April 17, 2018. His companion was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 20 years. Charges against the girl were dropped.