Memorial honors Dan Crowder’s end of watch

Christian Peterson reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com On Wednesday, Jan. 10, citizens and law enforcement officers from all across Florida gathered at Cooks Hammock Cemetery in Lafayette County to dedicate a memorial marker in honor of a fallen officer. Danese “Dan” B. Crowder worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) when he was killed while on duty. On May 3, 1974, Crowder found Colon Russell illegally hunting deer out of season. The pair engaged in a brief chase before Russell fatally shot Crowder in the stomach and back. Russell was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison. The FWC, Suwannee County Sheriff's Office, Lafayette County Sheri