Sam Catron
Encyclopedia
Sammy Catron was sheriff
of Pulaski County
, Kentucky
. On the evening of April 13, 2002, Catron was assassinated by Danny Shelley after he finished a campaign speech at a fish fry and political rally being held at the Shopville, Kentucky
Volunteer Fire Department in the small community of Stabb, Kentucky. Sheriff Catron was running for a fifth term as sheriff. His former deputy, Jeff Morris, who was campaigning against him, and Kenneth White, a well-known dope dealer, had it done. He is buried at Somerset Cemetery in Somerset, Kentucky, along with other relatives. A memorial for Sam Catron can be viewed by the public directly across from the fire department, where Catron fell beside his police cruiser.
for Ferguson, Kentucky
, leaving the position in 1985 after being elected sheriff of Pulaski County. He held the office the rest of his days. During his tenure, Catron served on the Kentucky Governor's Task Force for Marijuana Eradication, the Pulaski County Rescue Squad, the Appalachian High Density Drug Traffic Area task force, was a member of the National Sheriffs' Association
and was named Sheriff of the Year in 1989. Sheriff Catron was well-known as an enemy of drug traffickers, flying a helicopter to search for marijuana plants and filling courtrooms with offenders his department had nabbed. In his private life, Catron served on the board of his local Eagle Scout
troop, was a Vigil life member and past chief of the Kawida Lodge Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America
.
in Somerset, backfired. Catron was campaigning at the Shopville Fire Department. As he opened the trunk of his vehicle, Shelley opened fire. Shelley stopped at the ridgeline overlooking the Shopville Fire Department and was immediately spotted by law enforcement. During the ensuing pursuit, Shelly took a wrong turn and wrecked Morris' motorcycle. After he was caught, he quickly implicated Morris. Morris, in turn, implicated White. All three were sent to prison, where White subsequently died.
City Confidential
, examining the town of Somerset, Kentucky
.
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Pulaski County
Pulaski County, Kentucky
Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 63,063 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Somerset6. The county is named for Count Kazimierz Pułaski. Most of the county is a prohibition or dry county...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. On the evening of April 13, 2002, Catron was assassinated by Danny Shelley after he finished a campaign speech at a fish fry and political rally being held at the Shopville, Kentucky
Shopville, Kentucky
Shopville is an unincorporated community in Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. It briefly gained national prominence following the April 13, 2002 assassination of Pulaski County Sheriff Sam Catron at a political rally held by the town's fire department....
Volunteer Fire Department in the small community of Stabb, Kentucky. Sheriff Catron was running for a fifth term as sheriff. His former deputy, Jeff Morris, who was campaigning against him, and Kenneth White, a well-known dope dealer, had it done. He is buried at Somerset Cemetery in Somerset, Kentucky, along with other relatives. A memorial for Sam Catron can be viewed by the public directly across from the fire department, where Catron fell beside his police cruiser.
Biography
Catron graduated from Somerset High School in 1971. His career in law enforcement began in the mid 1970s as a Pulaski County sheriff's deputy. Sammy quit in 1981 after Johnny Adams was elected sheriff. In 1982, Catron became the chief of policeChief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
for Ferguson, Kentucky
Ferguson, Kentucky
Ferguson is a city in Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States, just south of downtown Somerset.-Post Office:The city has always been Ferguson, but the post office was first named Luretha for the postmaster George Wynn's daughter. There was already a post office named Ferguson so they couldn't use...
, leaving the position in 1985 after being elected sheriff of Pulaski County. He held the office the rest of his days. During his tenure, Catron served on the Kentucky Governor's Task Force for Marijuana Eradication, the Pulaski County Rescue Squad, the Appalachian High Density Drug Traffic Area task force, was a member of the National Sheriffs' Association
National Sheriffs' Association
The National Sheriffs' Association is a U.S. trade association dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among U.S. sheriffs, their deputies and others in the fields of criminal justice and public safety. Since its founding in 1940, NSA has been the one voice of the nation's sheriffs in...
and was named Sheriff of the Year in 1989. Sheriff Catron was well-known as an enemy of drug traffickers, flying a helicopter to search for marijuana plants and filling courtrooms with offenders his department had nabbed. In his private life, Catron served on the board of his local Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
troop, was a Vigil life member and past chief of the Kawida Lodge Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
.
The plot
Sammy Catron was killed as a result of a plot devised by Kenneth White and Jeff Morris. White and Morris influenced Danny Shelley, an oxycontin addict, to do their illicit act. In his stupor from years of addiction Shelley relied on White to feed his habit. White, who had recently been a DEA imformant led the gullible Shelley to believe that Catron was on the verge of arresting him. Shelley who used Morris' motorcycle to escape after he shot Sam Catron, was to meet later with Morris and White. But Morris' real plan was to later meet up with Shelly, kill him under a pretense of self-defense, and pin all of the blame for Catron's death on Shelly. This action, Morris hoped, would make him a local hero and insure his election as sheriff. After the election, White would then run the county with Morris as his puppet. But their plot, which they had conceived earlier that day while at Wal-MartWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
in Somerset, backfired. Catron was campaigning at the Shopville Fire Department. As he opened the trunk of his vehicle, Shelley opened fire. Shelley stopped at the ridgeline overlooking the Shopville Fire Department and was immediately spotted by law enforcement. During the ensuing pursuit, Shelly took a wrong turn and wrecked Morris' motorcycle. After he was caught, he quickly implicated Morris. Morris, in turn, implicated White. All three were sent to prison, where White subsequently died.
Profiles
The case of Catron's murder was profiled in an episode of the A&E Network'sA&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
City Confidential
City Confidential
City Confidential is an American documentary television show, transmitted on the A&E Network, which singled out a community during each episode and investigated a crime that had occurred there. Rather than being a straighforward procedural, the installments began by focusing on the history and...
, examining the town of Somerset, Kentucky
Somerset, Kentucky
The major demographic differences between the city and the micropolitan area relate to income, housing composition and age. The micropolitan area, as compared to the incorporated city, is more suburban in flavor and has a significantly younger housing stock, a higher income, and contains most of...
.