Four years ago Monday, Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Riley was shot and killed in the line of duty while attempting to assist a stranded motorist along Interstate 64 east of Mill Shoals.
Deputy Riley was ambushed during the traffic assist. The gunman, Ray Tate, was later captured and has since been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder.
In the years following Deputy Riley’s death, his sacrifice has been honored in numerous ways. A portion of I-64 in Wayne County has been named in his memory, and a permanent monument bearing his image stands on the Wayne County Courthouse lawn. Law enforcement officers throughout the region marked the anniversary with quiet reflection and remembrance.
Despite his conviction, Tate continues to file appeals in an attempt to overturn his sentence. In Wayne County, he has appealed the court’s denial of his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and sentence. Similar appeals are also pending in Clinton County, where he was taken into custody following the shooting.
Both cases remain under review. Tate is currently incarcerated at Menard Correctional Center in Chester, Illinois, where he remains behind bars as the legal process continues.