In Memoriam

John Thomas Wells

Sheriff John Wells was shot and killed after responding to reports of a gunfight between two men in Burgaw at 7:30 am on October 31, 1953

When he arrived he encountered one of the men holding a shotgun. He ordered the man to drop the weapon three times but the man turned towards him. Sheriff Wells opened fire, wounding the suspect, who fired back and struck Sheriff Wells in the head. The suspect then shot himself in the chest.

Sheriff Wells was a WWI veteran and had served with the Pender County Sheriff's Office for three years. He was survived by his wife and two sons.

Jeffrey Dean Jones

Deputy Jeffrey Jones was killed in an automobile collision at 2218 hours on November 23, 2002 while responding to a domestic disturbance call.

During the response, he swerved to avoid several people walking down the middle of N.C. 210 and struck a ditch, causing his patrol car to flip over.

Deputy Jones had been employed with the Pender County Sheriff's Office for three years and was survived by his parents and sister.