The annals of Colbert County, Alabama, hold a dark chapter from the summer of 1963—the brazen ambush and murder of Sheriff Hermon "Red" Cook. A figure respected for his dedication to law enforcement, Cook’s death, alongside Littleville Police Chief James Cornelius "Neal" Pace, sent shockwaves through the community and underscored the perilous realities of combating entrenched illegal enterprises in the American South.
Hermon "Red" Cook, a former Alabama State Trooper, had only been in office for eight months, having assumed his duties in January 1963. He was known for his honesty and unwavering commitment to his role, characteristics that likely put him in direct conflict with the prevalent bootlegging operations of the era. It was this very commitment that led him, on August 18, 1963, to a fateful confrontation.
On that Sunday, Sheriff Cook, Chief Pace, and Deputy Sheriff Donald Files were conducting a raid on a suspected bootlegging site near Littleville. The property belonged to Troy Thornton, a man with a history of bootlegging arrests. Unbeknownst to the officers, Thornton, who had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer and reportedly felt he had little to lose, was lying in wait. As the lawmen approached a shack on the property, Thornton opened fire.
The ambush was sudden and brutal. Both Sheriff Cook and Chief Pace were struck and killed. Deputy Files sustained injuries in the attack. The assailant, Thornton, fled the scene, prompting an extensive manhunt involving numerous law enforcement officers. The following day, facing overwhelming pressure, Thornton surrendered to authorities; however, justice in a courtroom would never be fully realized. On September 3, 1963, Troy Thornton was found dead in his cell at the Franklin County Jail, succumbing to his illness.
The murders of Sheriff Cook and Chief Pace cast a pall over Colbert County and the wider North Alabama region. The community mourned the loss of two dedicated public servants, and their deaths served as a stark reminder of the dangers inherent in enforcing prohibition-era laws that, while on the books, were often flouted, leading to violent confrontations. Editorials at the time lamented the hypocrisy of a system where such illegal activities could flourish, ultimately costing the lives of those sworn to uphold the law.
The legacy of Sheriff "Red" Cook endures in the memory of Colbert County. His brief but impactful tenure, cut short by a bootlegger's bullet, speaks to a period of significant social and legal tension. The tragic events of August 18, 1963, remain a somber testament to the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers in the line of duty and the profound impact such losses have on the communities they serve.
Governor George Wallace, whether for political gain or out of genuine concern for the Cook family, appointed the sheriff's widow Mary Frances McCollum Cook to complete her late husband's term. Mrs. Cook died in 2002, and both she and her husband are interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Tuscumbia.
