W.E. Thompson

News Obituary Article

OBITUARY: MARIETTA: W.E. Thompson, Atlanta police detective

By KAY POWELL

Fugitives --- whether a body snatcher or the father of a movie star --- could run but they could not hide from Atlanta Police Department Detective W.E. Thompson.

Hunting down and catching people fleeing from the law was the most satisfying part of Mr. Thompson's 28-year police department career, said his wife, Thelma Thompson of Marietta.

"He could tell immediately if someone was lying. He had that second sense," she said. "I couldn't hide anything from him."

Mr. Thompson would nab one fugitive after a high-speed car chase, another in a sting operation and yet another after a gunbattle.

"He had a number of miraculous escapes," his wife said. "One man shot right at Bill, but his gun misfired."

The funeral for William E. Thompson, 75, who died at his Marietta residence Saturday of complications from a stroke, is at 2 p.m. today at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Douglasville. West Cobb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Thompson did not discuss his work with his wife because he didn't want her to worry. She had to learn about his exploits in newspaper articles, she said.

One such article reported his capture of Charles Voyde Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson. Under indictment for a hired killing in Texas, Charles Harrelson fled to Atlanta and rented a room in a house on Holderness Street. Mr. Thompson and other fugitive squad detectives put the house under surveillance after being alerted by Texas authorities. Armed with shotguns, Mr. Thompson and his fellow officers routed Mr. Harrelson out of bed, and he surrendered without incident.

When a man stole his lover's body from a Hapeville funeral home in August 1965, it was Mr. Thompson who received the tip that solved the case, his wife said. He worked the case for five days then turned in a report recommending warrants be issued.

His supervisor was reading the report when the body, dumped on a Jasper County farm, was discovered by a man looking for muscadine grapes. The body-snatcher was still at large, but not for long.

By 1987, Mr. Thompson was ready to retire and wanted more than boating and camping to keep him busy. He bought six acres in Douglasville and completed their framed-in house, his wife said.

He built a barbecue house to charcoal pork ribs and pork loin, his specialty with surprise sauce. Instead of using his second sense on liars, he used it to create barbecue sauces.

"There was no secret recipe," his wife said. "He just used his imagination. Bill never looked at a recipe."

Survivors include three sons, Brad Thompson of Douglasville, Marty Thompson of Smyrna and David Thompson of Acworth; a daughter, Shelby Varner of Marietta; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

© 2007 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution