Tribute To Fallen Sheriff's Deputies Unveiled In Cumming

CUMMING, GA — During the June Fridays at the Fairgrounds event, Mayor Troy Brumbalow was thrilled to unveil a 1969 Chevrolet Impala that has been restored to honor the memory of two fallen Forsyth County Sheriff's Deputies.

"I am honored to present this tribute to fallen deputies in Forsyth County," Brumbalow said. "This car is a re-creation of the patrol vehicle that Deputy Bill Cantrell and Larry Mulkey were murdered in on January 10, 1972."

Chief Deputy Bill Cantrell and Special Deputy Sheriff Larry Mulkey were shot and killed during a traffic stop of a burglary suspect on US 19, south of Cumming, in 1972. Cantrell and Mulkey had stopped a vehicle they had seen the previous night leaving a country club, which was later discovered to have been burglarized later in the day, Brumbalow said.

During the traffic stop, the suspects were able to disarm Cantrell. He was handcuffed before he and Mulkey were forced into the patrol car's trunk. Once in the trunk, the suspects fatally shot them both, Brumbalow said.

Prior to approaching the vehicle one of the deputies had written down the license plate number on a piece of paper. That evidence led to the arrest and conviction of the suspects, who were later determined to be prison escapees who had made a pact to kill any officers who stopped them.

Brumbalow said his hope is that it will honor the deputies' service and sacrifice to the community for years to come, as well as other deputies that have been lost in the line of duty.

The project was made possible by financial contributions from Northside-Forsyth Hospital, Civil Engineering Consultants, and Andean Chevrolet. Time, talents and materials were also donated by K&K Towing, Finishmaster, EC Signs, Greg Pirkle Upholstery, Lanier Wheel and Tire, Johnson's Body Shop, Johnson Muffler, Speedy Evans, Evan Roper and Sheriff Ron Freeman.

"It will be on permanent display at the City Center and will be a part of City parades going forward," Brumbalow said. "This project has been a dream of mine for several years and wouldn't have been possible without the help of former Sheriff Donald Pirkle."