The Southaven Police Department is remembering Lieutenant James William “Billy” Lance Jr., who was killed in the line of duty on Oct. 7, 1988, at age 40. Lance had stopped a vehicle matching the description of one used in several armed robberies, according to the department’s remembrance.
One of the suspects shot Lance, and he later died at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto. The department said Lance paid the ultimate price while serving and protecting his community and honored his memory and the legacy he left behind.
