Tennessee Sheriff describes deputy’s death as an ‘absolutely horrific and intentional killing’

MARTIN, Tenn. (KBSI) – A Tennessee Sheriff saying he hopes a female suspect receives the death penalty after one of his deputies was shot and killed this morning.

According to the Martin Police Department around 2:51 a.m. Friday, January 30, 2026, officers from the Martin Police Department responded to a disturbance call at 800 University St. (Days Inn) for possible shots fired.

Deputies from the Weakley County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist Martin Police Department.

As deputies were responding the scene at approximately 3:09 a.m., they saw an occupied vehicle leaving 821 University St. (Pocket’s gas station), at which time the driver fired shots, striking a WCSO deputy.

 “At some point a white vehicle was mentioned. Our deputy Derrick Bonham observed the white vehicle, pulled up next to it, got out and began to have a conversation with the driver a white female, at which point she opened her door firing and striking him, he fell to the ground she then walked over and shot him again” says Weakley County Sheriff Terry McDade.

Weakley County Sheriff Terry McDade identified the deputy as Derrick Bonham and says he was rushed to a local Martin hospital where doctors worked on him, but he sadly passed away.

The suspect’s name has not been released at this time, just that she is a white female and is currently in custody.

 “I hope…. I’m not judge and jury, but I hope…but this was an absolutely horrific, intentional killing, I hope for the death penalty, I’m not that person” says Weakley County Sheriff Terry McDade.

McDade sharing that the Weakley County deputy leaves behind a family….

“Very nice, quiet, humble, young guy with a beautiful wife and three young children that he left behind.” 

 Further information will be provided by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations.