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Walter "Eugene" Crum was the sheriff of Mingo County, West Virginia from January 1, 2013 until April 3, 2013. He is notable for having been murdered after having served for only three months and two days in his position. . His death has been widely reported in national news sources, including Fox News, the Huffington Post, and CBS, throughout the United States. Though his death remains under investigation, some news sources and local government officials have suggested that his no-tolerance policy on illegal drugs called, Operation Zero Tolerance, may have played some part in his death.

Early Life and Career
Walter "Eugene" Crum, a graduate of Burch High School, began his career in law enforcement as a correction officer for four years before serving with the Matewan and Delbarton Police Departments in Mingo County, West Virginia. Crum served as a police officer on the Matewan Police Department, while working with Chief Dave Stratton for 11 years before accepting the Chief of Police position with the town of Delbarton. After achieving the role of Chief of Police in Delbarton, Crum stepped down and ran for the office of Mingo County Magistrate and won. He served 10 years on the bench as a Mingo County Magistrate, which six of those he served as a chief magistrate, before resigning to run for the office as Mingo County Sheriff. While he was waiting to take the office as Mingo County Sheriff, he was hired by Prosecuting Attorney C. Michael Sparks as a special investigator for the Mingo County's Prosecutor's office. Eugene Crum had nearly three decades of direct law enforcement experience as his qualification to become sheriff.

Sheriff of Mingo County
Walter "Eugene" Crum's term as sheriff of Mingo County was brief, but made a huge impact. Within the 93 days that Eugene Crum served as the Sheriff of Mingo County, he had 57 felony drug convictions. According to Mingo County Circuit Judge Michael Thornsbury, Crum had done more than any other sheriff of Mingo County within the past 30 years and he had made more indictments than what Mingo County had seen in the past eight years. As sheriff of Mingo County, Eugene Crum was determined to put a stop to the illegal drug trafficking in Mingo County. As a sign of dedication to Mingo County and to his passion in law enforcement, Sheriff Crum would eat his lunch in his official cruiser everyday just to observe a pill mill that had been shut down a few years ago to make sure it did not open its doors again. Even before Crum took office as sheriff in January, he would work day and night making arrests and obtaining indictments, while he was serving as Drug Task Force Commander. While Sheriff Crum, his deputies, and other law enforcement agencies in Mingo County worked tirelessly to wipe out crime, especially targeting the drug dealers who spread the disease of addiction among the residents of Mingo County, Crum had received personal threats because of his fight to stop prescription drug abuse. When Sheriff Crum was confronted by Judge Michael Thornsbury about the threats that he had been receiving, Sheriff Crum said, "I'm fighting back, I'm going to fight the good fight." Unfortunately, it was only minutes later that Sheriff Eugene Crum was murdered.

Murder
Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum was shot at point blank range while sitting in his official vehicle in a parking lot, while he was eating his lunch, at the corner of Third Avenue and Harvey Street on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 in Williamson, West Virginia, shortly after noon. Tennis Melvin Maynard, age 37 of Ragland, West Virginia, walked up to the sheriff's SUV and at point blank range, allegedly shot Crum in the forehead and temple region, killing him instantly. After killing Crum, Tennis Maynard fled from the scene travelling south on U.S. 52 toward Delbarton, where he was shot and seriously wounded by Mingo County Sheriff's Department Corporal Norman Mines, after pulling a gun on them. Maynard was then transported to Regional Medical Center in Logan County, West Virginia and was later transferred to Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia. Crum was pronounced dead on the scene by Mingo County Medical Examiner Mike Casey and was transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Charleston, West Virginia for autopsy. The handgun allegedly used to murder Sheriff Eugene Crum was confiscated from Maynard's vehicle, and was identified by Mingo County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Joe Smith as a compact .40 caliber Glock handgun.



Interim Sheriff
After the murder of Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum, a special meeting was held by the Mingo County Commission on Thursday, April 4, 2013 to name who would be the interim sheriff for the remainder of Crum's term which would expire at the end of 2016. Rosie Crum, the widow of the slain sheriff, was unanimously appointed to fill the remainder of the term left vacant by her husband's tragic death by the three members of the county commission, and was sworn into office by Circuit Judge Michael Thornsbury during the candlelight vigil held on April 4, 2013 at 8 p.m., next to the courthouse in Williamson, West Virginia.

Murderer
Tennis Melvin Maynard the man accused of shooting and killing Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum, has been known to be mentally disturbed, but has never claimed or shown signs of having a vendetta against law enforcement. The possible cause for Maynard's mental disturbance, according to his father, might be due to his encounter with harmful chemicals and an injury while working in an Alabama coal mine. Maynard's father claimed that he would not have probably targeted Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum. However, Maynard's father also stated that his son, Tennis Maynard, was mentally "off" and he could have probably shot anybody, the first one he come to. Maynard's father admitted that his son should have been in a hospital, adding that his son had previously been in an institution.

Tennis Maynard, had reportedly bought several guns, not just the one allegedly used in the slaying of Sheriff Crum, after he had been determined legally ineligible to own them. The gun purchases were made after February of 2010, when Maynard was reportedly deemed ineligible to own a firearm. According to data gathered by the West Virginia Associated Press, since 1968, federal law has banned certain individuals with a history of mental illness from buying guns. In January of 2011, a West Virginian database that forwards information on people involuntarily committed to a mental institution to the national system became operational for use. According to Mingo County Prosecutor Michael Sparks, Maynard purchased multiple weapons after this time, including the weapon allegedly used to shoot Sheriff Eugene Crum.

Murderer's Indictment
The Mingo County Grand Jury convened on Monday of April 23, 2013 with Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Paul T. Ferell presiding on special assignment regarding the indictment of Tennis Melvin Maynard, the Delbarton resident accused of fatally shooting Sheriff Eugene Crum on April 3, and attempting to kill a deputy. The indictment reads as follows: (Count 1; 1st Degree Murder, possible life sentence) Tennis Melvin Maynard, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013, in Mingo County did unlawfully, knowingly, intentionally, willfully, maliciously, deliberately, premeditatedly and feloniously murder Sheriff Eugene Crum, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia. (Count 2; Attempt to commit 1st Degree Murder, 3-15 years)The defendant, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013, in Mingo County, did unlawfully, intentionally and feloniously attempt to murder Corporal Norman Mines by pointing a loaded firearm directly at the officer after Corporal Mines pursued and stopped Tennis Melvin Maynard's vehicle in connection with the murder of Sheriff Eugene Crum, but fell short of murdering Corporal Norman Mines, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia. (Count 3; fleeing/reckless indifference, 1-5years) On or about 3rd day of April, 2013, in Mingo County, Tennis Melvin Maynard did unlawfully, knowingly, intentionally and feloniously operate a vehicle in a matter showing reckless indifference to the safety of others while fleeing from Corporal Norman Mines acting in an official capacity after Corporal Norman Mines gave a clear, visual and audible signal directing Maynard to stop, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia. Testimony was provided by Williamson Police Chief C.D. Rockel and West Virginia State Police 1st Sgt. C.E. Stump. Maynard will be arraigned on these three charges before Judge Ferrel following his discharge form Cabell Huntington Hospital.

Funeral
The funeral for Mingo County Sheriff Walter "Eugene" Crum was held on Sunday, April 7, at 1 p.m. inside the Mingo Central High School gymnasium. Several thousands attended the visitation and funeral of Sheriff Crum. Over 500 law enforcement officials were in attendance from all across the nation including Alaska, California, Mississippi and Texas for the funeral and 273 police cruisers participated in the funeral procession as a show of respect to the fallen sheriff.