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George Arnold Kemp

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Birth	:	24 Feb 1904 Carroll County, Virginia, USA
Death	:	7 Dec 1942 Thomasville, Davidson County, North Carolina, USA
Burial	:	Elmwood Cemetery, New Lothrop, Shiawassee County, USA
Coordinate	:	43.1110992, -83.9697037
Description	:	Officer Kemp was killed by a blow to the back of his head and his body placed in an elevator shaft at the First National Bank, 10 Salem Street, by one or more suspects. Officer Kemp was last seen alive by his partner at 0400 hours. A search began for Officer Kemp when he failed to relieve the desk officer at 0500 hours. At 0530 hours his partner found the front door of the First National Bank unlocked, its elevator on the first floor. Between 0200 and 0300 that same morning the door had been found locked by Officer Kemp and... Read More	Officer Kemp was killed by a blow to the back of his head and his body placed in an elevator shaft at the First National Bank, 10 Salem Street, by one or more suspects. Officer Kemp was last seen alive by his partner at 0400 hours. A search began for Officer Kemp when he failed to relieve the desk officer at 0500 hours. At 0530 hours his partner found the front door of the First National Bank unlocked, its elevator on the first floor. Between 0200 and 0300 that same morning the door had been found locked by Officer Kemp and his partner. At 0700 police returned to the bank to find the doors locked with the elevator still on the first floor. Shortly after 1500 hours that same day Officer Kemp's body was found in the elevator shaft. It was believed by many citizens and investigators, that one to two days earlier after closing hours at the same bank where Officer Kemp's body was found, that he had stumbled in on activities, that if made public, would destroy the reputations of certain prominent citizens; and that one or more of these citizens murdered or had him murdered for that reason. He had expressed concerns to his wife about having walked in on these citizens but did not elaborate on details because his children entered the room. A Davidson County Coroners Jury ruled that Officer Kemp's death was a homicide. Despite this ruling some local leaders propagated for decades a theory that Officer Kemp accidently fell to his death in the elevator shaft. It was never determined who unlocked and relocked the door of the bank between 0300 and 0600 that morning. It was physically impossible that Officer Kemp could have gotten into the pit of the shaft without the elevator having been raised. Because of interlocking and safety devices of the era, the elevator would not operate without all doors of the shaft being closed. Therefore, those concealing the officer's body had to have then intentionally closed the elevator's first floor doors for the car to have again been operational. The car had been returned to the first floor where it had been found by Kemp's partner, its doors now open. Throughout the day of December 7, the elevator was used continuously, therefore substantiating that its interlocking and safety devices had been operating normally. No arrests were ever made. Officer Kemp's death still stands as a open homicide. He was survived by his wife and two sons, ages 10 and 12. His story was immortalized by the 2011 historical crime novel "In Summons to the Past." Photo & Bio Provided by Officer Down Memorial Page

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is George Arnold Kemp's memorial?
George Arnold Kemp's memorial is located at: Elmwood Cemetery, New Lothrop, Shiawassee County, USA.
When did George Arnold Kemp death?
George Arnold Kemp death on 7 Dec 1942 in Thomasville, Davidson County, North Carolina, USA
Where are the coordinates of the George Arnold Kemp's memorial?
Latitude: 43.1110992
Longitude: -83.9697037

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Nellie Victoria Rose Kemp

(1907 - 1988)

Siblings

Opal Mavis Kemp Taylor

(1922 - 2002)

Children

William Arnold Kemp

(1932 - 2003)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

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15. Resurrection Cemetery
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22. Saint Marys Cemetery
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23. Saint Michaels Catholic Cemetery
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