A Model 66 with a sad history

[sheepdawg]

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

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Indeed, sad history.

Well done, using Nextdoor. It's the only social media not counting this Forum that I use.

 

[bamabiker]

Sad story but cool that you have his gun. I would be honored to give it a good home and through you more people can remember his sacrifice..

 

[moosedog]

Sadly interesting and informative post. God Bless all involved.
I can't really post a "Like" as I have been to too many fellow officers funerals including my best friend and mentor back in 1982, Officer Frank X Siemion Detroit PD.
I do appreciate you paying homage to Officer Childress.

 

[Iron Brigade]

Wow, sad story. It appears from the tribute I read the officer fired the M66, exchanging fire with multiple suspects.

 

[holo]

Thank you for the story

 

[steelslaver]

Keeping his gun well preserved and remembering him is a good thing. Sorry for all involved except the low lifes.

 

[ken158]

Sadly interesting and informative post. God Bless all involved.
I can't really post a "Like" as I have been to too many fellow officers funerals including my best friend and mentor back in 1982, Officer Frank X Siemion Detroit PD.
I do appreciate you paying homage to Officer Childress.

Agree - feels wrong to "like" a post like this as I have also been to too many LEO funerals and visited many more in the hospital due to the actions of bad guys. Kudos for remembering this officer and sharing his story.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Wow, sad story. It appears from the tribute I read the officer fired the M66, exchanging fire with multiple suspects.

What became of the perps?

 

[sheepdawg]

What became of the perps?

They got life which is about 2,000 volts too little. One, probably the getaway car driver, tried for parole in 2003 but was denied.

 

[6518John]

I believe this is the first account I have ever read or heard of where the killers used a .44 magnum to kill a police officer. Probably my own ignorance, but I don't think of a .44 magnum as a "criminals gun." I am sure they stole it.

 

[Texas Star]

I can't but wonder if those women would have been molested or killed if the mom hadn't gotten loose and called police.

What a pity an officer died!

 

[Stroker468]

God bless our policeman and women. They show more courage on a daily basis than most of us have to in a lifetime.

 

[Ibmikey]

I wore blue for over thirty years and not only survived all the "encounters"but have beaten the odds when most police retirees do not survive the first year. I attended many more funerals for fellow officers than I cared to, today with the scum running rampant and supposed leadership supporting the bad guys and penalizing the police as part of that support the funerals are becoming an epidemic.

 

[jbtrucker]

I'm from Memphis and knew the Childress family , it was very sad .

 

[Muley Gil]

I wore blue for over thirty years and not only survived all the "encounters"but have beaten the odds when most police retirees do not survive the first year. I attended many more funerals for fellow officers than I cared to, today with the scum running rampant and supposed leadership supporting the bad guys and penalizing the police as part of that support the funerals are becoming an epidemic.

I retired with "only" 25 years service. But then I did 2 years working in Kosovo as an international police officer, followed by 7 plus years working armed security in a Federal office building. Finally retired for good 4 years ago.

Several of the officers I worked with did 30 years, retired and then died of cancer and heart problems. Others did 30 and have lived into their 80s and 90s.

Hard to tell who is going to make it and who won't, at least among the cops that I worked with in Alabama.

I must have really been tired the morning I typed this post, as I neglected to mention the three years I spent in Afghanistan as a police advisor. I flew directly from Kosovo to the sandbox, so I didn't get back to the States for a while. That was an experience I'll never forget. I'm glad I did it, but wouldn't do it again.

 

[tennexplorer]

I remember that one like it was yesterday. It happened in what was and still in a very nice area where people would have happily opened their front doors to someone identifying themselves as police. I agree - Ol' Sparky should have been fired up X3 for that one.

It is interesting that the revolver was shipped to the Sheriff's Department since he was Memphis PD.

 

[HowdyThere]

Larry P Childress

Hi,

Im Collin Wickens, my maternal grandfather is Larry's brother. I recently was looking up stuff about Larry and found this forum. My grandfather is very interested in buying anything Larry owned. If you would be interested please accept my friend request and we can go from there.

 

[sheepdawg]

Sorry but that revolver is not for sale. It's one I'm taking to the grave and then my oldest son, who is a Rabun County Deputy Sherriff, is getting it.

 

[quikdraw67]

They got life which is about 2,000 volts too little. One, probably the getaway car driver, tried for parole in 2003 but was denied.

I hope that the Afterlife will reward them with a nice toasty eternal inferno.

 

[whataboutbob]

I hope that the Afterlife will reward them with a nice toasty eternal inferno.

Rest assured, they will absolutely have to answer for it

 

[xfarfuldog]

Several years ago my friend Steve Whalen of Dayton PD was murdered on a traffic stop. We went to the same church and both had Trans Ams. We talked a lot about many things. My chief had purchased I believe six model 66's in six inch directly from S&W. I purchased two. One for me and one I sold to one of my brothers. I ended up selling Steve mine. A local DPD officer bought all of Steve's guns. i have been unable to contact him.

 

[Old Corp]

Thanks for a touching story and great research.

Still have my old duty M66 4" issued in 1980.
It saved my bacon in my first OIS in 1982 and still wears the electro-pencilled case number and initials of one of our IAU guys, thankfully sorta hidden on the grip frame.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Like the rest of the ex-officers here, I too have been to too many police funerals, including my wife and fellow officer Jackie Dole Sherrill who's end of watch came on New Year's Eve 1984. If you are curious about officers who were killed in the line of duty go to Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). odmp stands for Officer Down Memorial Page. You can find a lot if info here on fallen officers. My wife left me two revolvers, a nickel 15-2 with pacs, trigger shoe, and action job, and a pinned model 60. I still shoot them some and will leave them to my son, who has quite a collection already, and hopefully later my grand son, depending on how responsible his becomes when he gets old enough to own them. I also have a S&W 10-6 bull barrel and a Glock 20 10 mm. that were owned by fallen officers.

 

[RCL-09]

What became of the perps?

From Patrolman Larry P. Childress, Memphis Police Department, Tennessee


Both suspects were apprehended, along with a third man that was driving a getaway car. All three, ages 46, 36, and 32, were convicted to robbery and murder and sentenced to life in prison. One of the suspects was denied parole on August 12, 2003, but was eventually paroled. The oldest had a updated mugshot made in 2003 and later died in prison. The third suspect was paroled in 2019.

 

[RCL-09]

While this a great story and a way to honor Officer Childress I can't help but to get angry and how our system dishonors Officer Childress by paroling two of his murderers.