Sheriff Clifford Peak

Clifford Peak

Sheriff Peak was shot and killed and his deputy was seriously wounded by a 64 year old unemployed well driller while responding to a domestic disturbance.

A member of the suspect's family had asked for a gun to be taken away from him, because he had threatened ‘to kill the whole bunch.’ As Sheriff Peak and his deputy approached the suspect, who was walking across a pasture, and ordered him to drop his gun, he suddenly opened fire. Hours later the suspect was captured in a woods near Double Springs. During the capture he shot and wounded the Lamar County Sheriff.

The suspect was convicted of first degree murder on October 19, 1951, and sentenced to life. On November 22, 1955, he received an additional 25 years for shooting the Lamar County Sheriff. He died in prison in 1962.

Sheriff Peak had been in office six months and eighteen days. He was survived by his mother, six brothers, three sisters, two uncles, and one aunt. He was a veteran of WWII.