DANVILLE — As the temperature dropped, candles were lit one by one in honor of Danville police officer Thomas Cottrell. The community marked the second anniversary of Cottrell’s death with a remembrance ceremony at the Danville Municipal Building Wednesday night.
Before the night’s crowd arrived, two officers set up a blue light to spotlight Cottrell’s memorial plaque on the side of the building, a row of potted flowers lined up beneath it. As more and more people trickled in, bundled underneath stocking caps, scarves, and thick winter jackets, emergency services blocked off a section of South Market Street. The vehicles’ flashing lights served as a backdrop for the ceremony.
Danville Police Chief Dan Weckesser read a letter from Cottrell’s mother, Melissa Osborn, who was unable to attend the memorial.
“God bless each and every one of you here tonight to remember my amazing son Thomas,” Weckesser said as he read Osborn’s words. “I wanted to thank all of you for your continued love and support . . . [Cottrell] has a true heart and when I get to his level I will see him and hug him again.”
“We come here tonight still brokenhearted, still grieving, but yet healing,” said Corp. Kevin Henthorn as he led the group in a prayer. “Over these past couple of years, we have missed Tom greatly, but just as we spoke of the light that he was when we were blessed to have him, since he has been taken from us physically, this light, his spirit, burns brighter than ever within us.”
“Tom was dedicated to his family and friends in this community,” Weckesser said. “Tom was proud to be a police officer and he was committed to helping everyone he came in contact with. Tom will never be forgotten for his commitment to country, state, and village of Danville.”
Weckesser, when asked by a friend why Cottrell was only honored one day a year, took the opportunity to recognized other law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty.
“I do think about Tom every day and all the good he stood for,” Weckesser said. “So I decided to choose 10 special people who were killed in the line of duty, police or military, or were taken by some terrible disease. I will honor them daily for all that they stood for and all their great qualities.”
Lt. Mark Perkins asked for a moment of silence to recognize the officers that were killed in the line of duty in 2017 as well as the South Carolina officer that was killed and three others that were wounded in a shooting this week.
“The devastation and destruction that hit Danville two years ago tonight played out 125 more times in 2017,” Perkins said. “We will never forget Tom Cottrell. If you drive around Danville, you will see signs and memories of him everywhere. The people don’t forget, the police department will not forget, but I ask you to also remember every other situation around the country similar to ours.”
Cottrell died on Jan. 17, 2016, when he was shot and killed by Herschel Ray Jones III. Officers were first alerted to the danger Jones posed when his ex-girlfriend informed a Knox County dispatcher that Jones was armed and left with the intent to kill a police officer. Deputies from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office found Cottrell deceased on the ground outside the Danville Municipal Building with his service weapon and cruiser missing. Jones was taken into custody nearly two hours after Cottrell was found after a short foot chase in the area of Danville Park.
Jones pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle, tampering with evidence, kidnapping, and theft of a firearm in May of 2017. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 35 years. Cottrell’s family asked for a plea deal in order to forgo the death penalty and subsequent appeals that could return Jones into their lives long after Cottrell’s death.
