Deputy Sheriff James Arthur Bevis of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in Florida was killed on April 4, 1985, while attempting to arrest two men who had just robbed a convenience store in Malone. The suspects, Edward Cotton and Morris Lavon Brown, fled but were later arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Court proceedings followed: Cotton testified against Brown, describing the struggle and shooting. Brown was convicted of first-degree murder and received a death sentence that was later reduced to life imprisonment on appeal after consideration of his age and mental state. Bevis, a Vietnam War veteran, was survived by his wife and two children and is memorialized on the Florida Sheriffs and National Law Enforcement Memorials.

Does anyone have recollections of the Malone community or additional details about the night of April 4, 1985?