Last evening in Chattanooga, I paid my respects at the wake of Sgt. Tim Chapin. He was murdered a few days ago in a running gun battle with a heavily armed robber. The same punk wounded another Chattanooga cop, Officer Lorin Johnston, before a hail of police gunfire took the perp apart. The cop-killer was wearing a ballistic vest, and that and excellent trauma care saved his worthless life to stand trial and face a well-deserved lethal injection.
The killer is said to be a white supremacist with a long history of violent crime, released not long ago to a halfway house from which he walked away to begin the one-man crime wave that ended so tragically in Chattanooga.
Driving through the city to Abba’s House, a huge and immaculate contemporary church where the funeral will take place today, it seemed that every business marquee in the city expressed its condolences to the slain policeman’s family and colleagues. The line of those coming to pay homage to the martyred cop and his family seemed endless. I stood in that line for a little over an hour and a half. I didn’t complain, I took emotional nourishment from it. While many of those good people were cops, many were ordinary citizens.
It is good to see when a cop is murdered in the line of duty, when a firefighter is burned to death rescuing a child from a flaming building, when a paramedic is crushed to death trying to extricate an accident victim, that the members of the community they serve turn out to show their appreciation of their sacrifice.
Officer Johnston, the cop who was wounded, gave one of his kidneys to a brother officer four years ago and saved that man’s life. Sergeant Chapin had risked his life for the citizens of Chattanooga for 26 years before that life was torn from him in the line of duty last weekend. It is good to see a community that respects and appreciates that.
Butch Rogers of ATF may have said it best in a consolation letter to Deputy Chief Mike Williams. “…I have always believed you can never kill a Cop,” said Rogers, “Because you can’t kill his spirit – the spirit of the mission. That lives on.”
An educational trust fund has been started for Sgt. Chapin’s children. Below is the information on it if interested.
Checks made Payable to:
Ricky D Mincy TTEE U/W Educational Fund for Tim Chapin Family
Mailed to:
RDP Partners
6111 Shallowford Road, Suite 103, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Memo line: Acct # 6219-9354
Sgt. Tim Chapin. RIP.
The cop-killer. Pay attention to the tattoos.
“The killer is said to be a white supremacist with a long history of violent crime, released not long ago to a halfway house from which he walked away to begin the one-man crime wave that ended so tragically in Chattanooga.”
As long as the court system continues ignoring the obvious high risk posed by habitual violent felons, expect more like this.
As long as the prison system and parole system continue ignoring the obvious high risk posed by habitual violent felons, expect more like this, too.
Amen, Mas. Amen.
Mr. Ayoob,
I have long been acquainted you work and I very much appreciate your comments about Sgt. Chapin
I was one of Sgt. Chapin’s field training officers (FTOs) when Tim graduated from the police academy. Tim was a quiet, reserved, police professional. He had a clear sense of right and wrong, cared about the officers under his supervision, and he had the heart of a lion. I am not surprised that he went directly to source of the threat and took the first steps to neutralize this vicious killer. His final act as a police officer was instrumental in seeing that this killer will no more spread terror and violence. Tim is a hero, as are the other officers who were with him that day.
An eloquent tribute to a fallen hero, Mas. Let’s all remember to thank the cop, or the fireman or those of our armed forces (or their spouses) the next time you meet one.
All too often we forget the sacrifices that they make each day to help keep us free and safe. And don’t lose sight of the fact that each day could be their last.
We’re in bad shape when the bad guys have vests and the good guys apparently don’t.
Steve
May he forever R.I.P. It’s been another terrible year so far for the cops… even though most of us wear vests these days, so many have fallen. Mas I remember well, the first vest I was able to afford. It was a Second Chance back in 82 or 84, and I drove to Concord to your house to get it. You gave the guys on my platoon a huge discount. I wore it for many years and it still hangs in my closet! It never stopped a bullet, but it surely did mitigate a full swimg of an aluminum baseball bat to my back as I bent over handcuffing a suspect. It probably would have killed me otherwise. Thank you for this post. Jack
On April 2nd, 2011 a crack opened up in the floor of Hell and the slime that leaked out of that crack and into our community came in the form of a criminal psychopath named Jesse Mathews — who SLAUGHTERED one of our city’s finest officers. Our community is shattered, in shock and will never be the same. I attended officer Chapin’s funeral, walked with thousands of others in the procession to the cemetery and stood at his graveside service. It was a honor and a privilege to join my fellow citizens in paying our collective respect to this extraordinarily brave man. I will NEVER forget this day. It’s time we help shore up that thin blue line and make it a thick blue line. Not only here in our community — but across this nation. And by the way in case you missed what Massad was referring to with the tattoos on Mr. Mathews chest: It reads TOOLS OF THE TRADE and beneath it are a pair of guns, brass knuckles and knives. “Sick” doesn’t even begin to capture the essence of this human maggot. To Mr. Mathews (who is going to survive his gun shot wounds albeit it severely maimed) I say “Welcome to Tennessee’s death row” … we’re going to show you how WE do “the row” down here in the by God South. He’s going to wish he was dead…
Thank you for your contibutions to Backwoods Home – I do read all the articles and have learned much.
May God bless and watchover Sgt Chapin’s family.
What I have to say is not intended to take away from Sgt. Chapin at all, but it is not going to be popular here – I accept that but still feel the need to express it (freedom of speech and all…)
We recently had a retired deputy killed in his home by his son. I knew this deputy, not close, but he seemed a likeable guy to me. Our entire community was shocked. There was quickly a parade and everything in his honor. Now, as things settle down and more about life at home comes out… maybe he wasn’t such a likeable guy?
While being killed in the line of duty is certainly tragic, I am beginning to resent how police and firefighters are valued above others. We had a highway worker killed on the job (in the line of duty) yet there was no parade for him. People die everyday doing things while helping others, yet their memories and deeds don’t measure up to the standards of recognition by the community.
I don’t know what the answer is. While I definitely appreciate the job these particular men in uniform do, there are so many others in uniform who work just as hard and I’ll argue make as big a difference in people’s lives.
We also had a police officer just recently convicted of bribery and misconduct. Crimials exist in every walk of life as do heroes.
I hope this particular criminal gets everything he has coming to him, but I don’t feel it should be any more or less than if the person who died had been an elderly woman hit by a stray bullet and no officers were killed.
Thank you for allowing me to express my opinion here and my sincerest heartfelt sympathies to Sgt. Chapin’s family and friends.
You have a wonderful gift for words Mas and your tribute is indeed eloquent.
I fail to understand, how we, as a society, have arrived at a place, where such an obviously, incorrigable menace to the human race, can violently rip such a noble man from our midst, and the best we can hope for is that he gets to go to sleep. For all the pain, anguish and suffering his actions have caused, I say, let’s fire up ‘ole “Sparky”! His last moments on earth should be excrutiatingly painful as he goes to hell!!
Steve, is it confirmed that Sgt. Chaplin didn’t have a vest, or that he didn’t wear one that day?
This article fails to mention the murderer, Jesse Matthews. (Nice photo of the classic Coloradoan, BTW). Matthews, from, no surprise, Colorado (Springs) – excrement repository of the United States – was serving a 20 year prison sentence but was seen fit by COLORADO “law enforcement/justice system” personnel – parole board, DA, judge to be released back into society after a scant seven years. That he went on a robbery and killing spree comes as no surprise.
The focus should be on the COLORADO “law enforcement/justice system” who are DIRECTLY responsible for Matthews (and his accessory family) in their murder of officer Chapin.
This IS where the bulk of the responsibility truly lies!
And the hits keep on coming…here’s some more news on the cop killer from The Chattanoogan:
Family Of Jesse Mathews Taken Into Custody
FBI Says Cache Of Weapons Was Kept For Slayer Of Sgt. Tim Chapin
posted April 7, 2011
The parents of the man police say shot and killed a veteran Chattanooga Police sergeant were taken into custody on Thursday evening.
Also arrested were the sister of Mathews, Rachel Mathews, and her boyfriend, James Poteete, of Antioch, Tn., near Murfreesboro.
Kathleen Moore Mathews, 57-year-old mother of Jesse Mathews, is charged with accessory after the fact to a Hobbs Act robbery, possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, misprison of a felony (having knowledge that a felony was committed and not reporting it) and being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
Ray Vance Mathews, 50-year-old father of Jesse Mathews, is charged with accessory after the fact to a Hobbs Act robbery, possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, misprison of a felony and disposing firearms to a convicted felon.
Rachel Mathews is charged with accessory after the fact to a Hobbs Act robbery, possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and misprison of a felony.
James Poteete is charged with accessory after the fact to a Hobbs Act robbery, violation of Section 924(c) of the U.S. Code and misprison of a felony.
The four defendants are facing up to 15 years in federal prison.
Three of the defendants appeared before U.S. Federal Court Magistrate Bill Carter at 2 p.m. Friday. Rachel Mathews was arrested outside of Asheville, N.C., and has not yet been extradited.
A preliminary hearing in the case was set for next Wednesday at 2 p.m. before U.S. Federal Court Magistrate Susan Lee.
Poteete was allowed bond, but the Mathews couple remain in jail. Ms. Mathews sat shivering in the courtroom. Her court-appointed attorney, Anthony Martinez, said she is coming off morphine and was getting sick due to the withdrawal. She suffers from diabetes and a number of other health problems, it was stated.
Lee Ortwein was named to represent Ray Mathews and Gene Shiles for Poteete. The Mathews couple listed their only asset as an older vehicle.
Authorities said Rachel Mathews earlier went to Colorado and brought Jesse Mathews to Tennessee after he wired money to her to buy a plane ticket. She flew to Colorado the day she got the money.
They said Jesse Mathews had absconded from a halfway house in Colorado on Feb. 14 and began a string of robberies there.
Officials said the sister along with Mathews’ girlfriend aided him in avoiding law enforcement by moving him from hotel room to hotel room and by providing him food.
Mathews and his sister came to Tennessee by bus using false names. Poteete picked them up at the bus station in Nashville. Mathews paid him $1,000 to drive them to Asheville, where they met up with his parents.
On March 6, the Mathews couple and Jesse Mathews were seen by a witness moving into the Microtel motel in Chattanooga. The witness later became Mathews’ girlfriend. The room was rented under the name Kathleen Moore. Mathews introduced himself at the motel as Kevin Moore.
While at the motel, the Colorado Department of Corrections called Kathleen to ask if she knew the whereabouts of her son. She said she had not seen him, but would tell authorities if she did.
The Mathews couple moved into a house in Chattanooga on March 16. Poteete drove down from Antioch and helped them move. One of the items moved was a bullet-proof vest. Mathews moved in with the female Microtel employee.
On March 27, Mathews and the girlfriend went to the R.K. Shows gun show at the National Guard Armory. Mathews spoke to someone there, then left. He called his father and told him to bring “the family collection.” Mathews traded three of the guns for an M-4 assault rifle.
Authorities said family members had kept a cache of 16 guns taken during the robbery of the Cash America Pawn Store in Colorado Springs and provided them to Jesse Mathews. Mathews also got about $10,000 in cash and some jewelry in that holdup, officials said. He brandished a firearm during the robbery. Authorities said family members admitted that Mathews confessed the crime to them.
The parents on March 28 drove Mathews to the bus depot in Nashville. The plan was for him to go to New York City, get fake identification and go to Canada. But he was back in Chattanooga the next day living with the girlfriend.
Then he carried out the robbery of the U.S. Money Shops in Brainerd on Saturday. Authorities recovered two guns and a bullet-proof vest from him. His girlfriend’s car was found at the scene. In the car was a guitar case with the M-4 semi-automatic assault rifle inside.
Ammunition was found after a search of the parents’ residence on Sunday. It was in a drawer in the house and in the trunk of their vehicle.
On Monday, Poteete arrived at the home of the Mathews couple. Ms. Mathews gave him a key to a storage unit and told him to get the firearms out of it. Poteete found six guns there.
Rachel Matthews, on Monday, called Poteete and told him to get rid of the guns. He took them to his residence in Antioch.
Kathleen Mathews was stopped by several police vehicles at Highway 53 north near the Amnicola Highway exit.
Her husband was arrested separately.
Authorities said Kathleen Mathews has a prior manslaughter conviction. U.S. Attorney Bill Killian said that case involved a burglary in Florida in which the homeowner came home during the burglary and was killed by Ms. Mathews and an accomplice.
Three defendants were booked at the Hamilton County Jail after midnight “for previous charges or other reasons.”
Ms. Mathews was handcuffed and eventually taken away in a sheriff’s vehicle. Her maroon Cadillac was left behind after the 7:30 p.m. stop and was later towed to her home at 3921A Webb Oaks Court. The house was also searched.
The Mathews couple moved to Chattanooga from Colorado about a month ago.
They apparently underwent extensive questioning from the FBI on Thursday night and early Friday morning.
Colorado authorities said Jesse Mathews was allowed to move to a halfway house after serving eight years of a 20-year sentence for a string of robberies. They said he walked away from the halfway house and began to commit more robberies – including several stores he held up when he was 17.
Matthews apparently stayed with the Microtel employee at the Rustic Village Apartments the last couple of weeks. It is about a mile from the U.S. Money Shops, next to Big Lots in Brainerd that was robbed Saturday morning.
Sgt. Chapin was among those responding to the robbery.
Police said they caught Mathews inside the store, and he began firing, causing the officers to retreat. He then went out a side door. Sgt. Chapin followed him in his patrol car, and his vehicle knocked him down.
Police said Mathews had a second gun and he shot the officer in the head at close range.
Mathews’ parents earlier said they have not been allowed to see him. They said they were told he had been placed in a medically-induced coma. Mathews was moved to the county jail around noon on Friday.
U.S. Attorney Killian praised “the extraordinary, non-stop, round-the-clock, relentless efforts of the investigating agencies. Their cooperation, coordination and communication with each other has been superb. I am convinced that these joint efforts resulted in these charges. The charges are a shining example of law enforcement at its best from the city, county, state and federal agencies.”
This is a hard world we live in and sometimes unforgiving. Most of us will never understand why a man feels he needs to go into society and harm others with a total disregard for the importance of life. It’s unfortunate but necessary that we armed citizens stand ready for these deranged people as best we can. Good luck to us all.
The comment from Rob says it all . Mathews will pay a heavy price, as the community already has.
Interesting “art” on the dirtbags chest but there is one thing missing, the crosshairs.
So this guy was able to obtain an M4 at a gun show? Nah, there’s no gun show loophole…
Dear Allen Defresco.Sir, Freedom is not a loophole. Why do you wish to punish law-abiding citizens because of the acts of criminals ? How about the baseball bat, knife and screwdriver,or hammer loopholes ? Besides a true M4 is a machinegun and not a semi-auto look alike like the criminal obtained. Which means it’s really just a varmint caliber rifle. Why not put the blame where it belongs,on a failed judicial system that keeps letting dangerous criminal loose after the poor police go through all the trouble and danger of catching them. If you did that,You wouldn’t have to worry about any so-called loopholes.