Patrolman Joseph Griffin Wright

Joseph Griffin Wright

Patrolman Wright was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle occupied by three men on a rural road near Helena in Person County.

As he walked from his patrol car to the vehicle, the driver shot him in the chest three times and then sped away. A nearby farmer who saw the incident called for help and helped Patrolman Wright get back to his car. He died just before help arrived.

Three days later, three Durham men were apprehended and charged with Patrolman Wright's murder. On March 13, 1973, the driver, 21, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. As of June 15, 2023, he remains in prison.

Patrolman Wright was a U.S Army Korean War veteran and served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 13 years. He was survived by his wife and three children.