Marshal Gordon Lunsford

Gordon Lunsford

Marshal Gordon Lunsford was shot and killed as he and a Lawrence County deputy attempted to arrest a man on a peace warrant in the Corryville area of Lawrence County.

The two officers were fired on by the suspect when they arrived at his house. The deputy was wounded in the shoulder, head, and leg, but was able to return fire along with Marshal Lunsford. The subject retreated into his house and then shot at Marshal Lunsford, striking him in the head, killing him.

The man, who had been wounded in the arm, was arrested in West Virginia as he attempted to make it to a hospital across the state line. He was convicted of Marshal Lunsford's murder and sentenced to life in prison on July 6th, 1951.