Here's a 1972 vintage model 66 with a sad history that I've researched for a few years. I've showed it before here but recently I came across a chance encounter that added to it story. My next door neighbor, when I lived in Memphis, was the widow of a Memphis Policeman, she sold me this revolver, said it belonged to Patrolman Larry Childress who was killed in the line of duty. His service revolver somehow was given to her late husband, she wanted it out of the house. Asked for a ridiculously low price, I slipped her a hundred more. Thinking it was my honor to be the owner of this fine firearm I needed to research it. Found out that Patrolman Childress was answering a home invasion call in January 1982. While his partner went in the front door Larry went around the side of the house and unfortunately ran into the escaping perps one of which shot him with a 44 magnum. Got my neighbor to write all of what she knew out, names, lawyers, how she managed to acquire the revolver, sign it and date it, then had it lettered by Smith and Wesson who wrote back that the revolver was shipped to the Memphis and Shelby County Sheriff's Department in October 1972.
Just before I moved to my new home here in Georgia I was checking a few things on a site called Nextdoor and a topic on policemen that had been killed on duty. Sure enough one lady mentioned that she was involved in the death of a Memphis Policeman back in 1982. I knew the address where Patrolman Childress had been murdered so I PMd her asking if it was at that address. Just so happens that was her address, she was 16 years old and had been tied up with her mother while the home invaders ransacked their house. Her mother got lose and called the Police. She's been troubled by what happened ever since, remembers it like yesterday. I told I had Patrolman Childress' service revolver and asked her if she remembered the other policeman that showed up with Childress. Turns out my neighbor's late husband was his partner. Quite an interesting discussion that lasted almost an hour.
R.I.P. Patolman Childress as well as every other policeman killed protecting the innocent.
Patrolman Larry P. Childress, Memphis Police Department, Tennessee
Just before I moved to my new home here in Georgia I was checking a few things on a site called Nextdoor and a topic on policemen that had been killed on duty. Sure enough one lady mentioned that she was involved in the death of a Memphis Policeman back in 1982. I knew the address where Patrolman Childress had been murdered so I PMd her asking if it was at that address. Just so happens that was her address, she was 16 years old and had been tied up with her mother while the home invaders ransacked their house. Her mother got lose and called the Police. She's been troubled by what happened ever since, remembers it like yesterday. I told I had Patrolman Childress' service revolver and asked her if she remembered the other policeman that showed up with Childress. Turns out my neighbor's late husband was his partner. Quite an interesting discussion that lasted almost an hour.
R.I.P. Patolman Childress as well as every other policeman killed protecting the innocent.
Patrolman Larry P. Childress, Memphis Police Department, Tennessee
