Sergeant Carl D. "Dewayne" Graham Jr.

Badge #223

Sergeant C. Dewayne Graham Jr, was killed at his residence on Sunday, March 20, 2005, at approximately 5:00 p.m. Sergeant Graham was still in his uniform, lying on the ground near his patrol car when he was found by a passing motorist. An autopsy would reveal he had been ambushed, shot by a rifle and a shotgun. Sergeant Graham's residence was just outside Van Buren, MO, in rural Carter County, within Troop G.

Officers discovered Sergeant Graham had been investigating a single fatality traffic crash where the driver had fled the scene. Leads Sergeant Graham had been working on prior to his death were developed. On the afternoon of Wednesday, March 23, Lance Shockley, 28, was arrested on felony leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident charges and was incarcerated in the Cape Girardeau County Jail. At the time of Shockley's arrest, the Patrol considered him a "person of interest" in the murder of Sergeant Graham. Dozens of investigators continued working around the clock.

At 1:55 p.m., on Tuesday, March 29, 2005, a member of the Patrol placed Lance Shockley under arrest for the murder of Sergeant Carl Dewayne Graham Jr. He was charged with first degree murder and armed criminal action. On April 1, his wife, Coree L. Shockley, was arrested for tampering with evidence in connection with the murder of Sergeant Graham. On April 15, Sherry Chilton Keeney was arrested for tampering with evidence, and Cynthia L. Chilton was arrested for perjury. In spite of these arrests, investigators continue to actively investigate Sergeant Graham's murder to ensure all leads are exhausted.

Sergeant Graham joined the Patrol on January 1, 1993. Upon graduating from the Patrol's Law Enforcement Academy, he was assigned to Troop G, Zone 6, Thayer. In June 1999, he was promoted to corporal and designated assistant zone supervisor of Troop G, Zone 1, Wright County. Graham was promoted to sergeant in 2002, and designated zone supervisor of Troop G, Zone 4, Carter and Reynolds counties. He is survived by a four-year-old son. Sergeant Graham is the 24th member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to lose his life in the line of duty.

As part of the Patrol's 75th Anniversary Celebration, employees of the Patrol have written in-depth articles about each of the officers that have been killed in the line of duty. These stories go more into the officer's life, who they were and their families, then just the circumstances of their death.

Read a more detailed article about Sergeant Carl D. "Dewayne" Graham Jr.