Fallen Agents Day – February 25th

A day of remembrance for the fallen and forgotten

Saturday marks solemn anniversary; the twenty-ninth anniversary of the unprosecuted murder of Tommy Deen Morris. Tommy was not the first repo agent to die in the line of duty, nor was he the last, but his was probably the first whose murder was noticed across not only the industry but across the mainstream news networks and press for the lack of justice that came of it. Last year, many of us participated in what I had hoped to become a new repossession industry tradition dedicated to the memories of Tommy and the many others before and after who have died in the line of duty. memories; “Fallen Agents Day.”

It’s no secret that the repossession business is a dangerous one. For over a century now, hardly a year goes by without a recovery agent falling in the line of duty. And for most, these names fade from memory for all except those they left behind.

For those who are not aware, on February 25^th of 1994, Tommy Deen Morris was murdered on a double assigned account. The police and DA refused to press charges. This was before the internet, but the national press caught on to the story. This wasn’t the first time this happened, but this was probably the first time the national repossession industry was united in it’s shock and anger at the state of things.

A History of short memories

So, here we are almost 30 years later. Double assignment is alive and well but at least charges are almost always pressed in repossession shootings and murders, but agents continue to die in the line of duty. The names of most have been long forgotten. This has been a sad tradition since the beginning of the industry and often just the unavoidable nature of the business.

Historically, the repo industry has tried to simply move beyond these tragedies and forget them, but for every agent killed, there are families whose wounds never heal. Families like those of Will Rivera, John Peters and Tommy Deen Morris and many others. Lives destroyed over a stupid car. It’s the dark side of the industry that people don’t like looking back at.

But with so much history, It seems to me that the men and families of the fallen deserve remembrance.

Wounds that never heal

In late 2021, I shared the sad story of the 1994 John Peters murder from my book. Soon after, John’s widow Veronica found it online and reached out to me. I apologized if I had opened any old wounds and she told me that, although they’ve managed to move on with their lives, their wounds never really healed. She was very grateful for me keeping his memory alive and it made me

wonder how many other families like that were out there.

There was only one person in the world that I knew who an inkling of an idea had what Veronica and her family went through and that was Tommy Deen Morris’s widow Donna, who I’ve known for many years. John was murdered in Florida just half-a-year after Tommy and had a newspaper clipping of Tommy’s murder in his wallet when he was gunned down. Both eagerly agreed to talk and I left that there as whatever they shared was between them and none of my business.

That was when it occurred to me that perhaps now is the time for the repossession industry to remember. Remember and honor those fallen and their families and co-workers who endure never healing wounds.

Fallen Agents Day – February 25th

As it turns out, on this year, February 25^th is a Saturday. For those of you desiring or willing to participate, I encourage you to recognize this day through any form of outward display of unity you desire. Wear a black pin or armband, close for the day, make a donation to the Recovery Agents Benefit Fund or just have a drink for them, but please make a gesture. I would hope that at very least, you will all say a prayer for their souls and for the safety of yourselves, coworkers, and families.

Below is a list of the names that I have located. The stories of those not linked below are mostly from before the start of CUCollector in 2010 and are also told in my book “Repo Blood” A Century of Auto Repossession History; which should be available for view on the below links to their stories on Google Books for free.

Ablon, Alvin S. – Barber, Floyd “Rich” – Blackwell, Robert C. – Britt, Lonnie – Campbell, Edwin Joe – Clark, Clarence E. – Clark, Ronald D.- Connor, Troy – Dues, Joseph (1995, MI) NEW – Garcia, Edward S.- Hodges, William – Humphries, Elwood – Johnson, Allan – Lawson, Steve – Lewandowski, Tom – Lowe, Jeffrey – David, Manno – Michael, Martin Curtis – McCracken, Gary – McGuigan, Gary – Medqueaux, Jorie Thos. – Miller, Terry 17-years-old – Montero, Junior Jordan – Morgan, Steve – Morris, Tommy Deen – Nielsen, Tim – Passingham, Frank – Peters, John Henry – Pierce, Kevin Sr. – Purple, Will S. – Reardon, Bernard – Ridder, Mark Brian – Rivera, Wilfred – Robins, Scott – Rose, Allen – Russell, Brandon – Russell, William Elmer – Sharp, William Paul – Showell, Todd – Sutton, Gary Lee – Tallon, Rick – Thomas, Brandon – Thompson, Allen – Visee, Gregory Allen (A.k.a. Kegger), Wainwright, Buster – Wright, Brendon Keith