Slain Georgia Police Detective Laid to Rest

Oct. 4, 2017

Roughly a thousand people packed inside Victory Baptist Church Tuesday to honor Polk County Police Detective Kristen Hearne.

By Raisa Habersham

Source The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Members of the Polk County Police Department become emotional sitting in the choir loft during the funeral of fellow Polk County police detective Kristen Hearne on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017,

CEDERTOWN, Georgia -- Roughly a thousand people packed inside Victory Baptist Church to honor Polk County police detective Kristen Hearne as sobbing loved ones remembered her as they always described her: a hero.

“She was the most amazing, beautiful person that I’ve ever known,” Husband Matt Hearne told Channel 2 Action News. “She died doing what she loved to do.”

Matt Hearne remembered his wife as a hero to him and his 3-year-old son Isaac.

Hearne, 29, was shot four times and killed Friday during a call about a stolen car on a dirt road in Cedertown. Police said she was providing back up to rookie officer David Goodrich when Seth Brandon Spangler, 31, pulled a gun on them and fired multiple rounds. Goodrich was wearing a bullet proof vest and was unharmed.

Spangler and a second person, Samantha Roof, 22, face murder and aggravated assault charges. Authorities are seeking the death penalty against the duo if convicted.

Hearne had been an officer for the past 10 years, five of which were spent at Polk County police department. She leaves behind husband Matt and son Isaac. Hearne is the first Polk County police officer killed in the line of duty.

“She really made an impact on every one of our lives,” Polk County police Chief Kenny Dodd told the Rockmart church Tuesday.

Hearne’s mother, Trish Brewer, with grandson Isaac in tow eulogized her.

“We'll never say goodbye. It's never goodbye. It's until we meet again,” Brewer told Channel 2. “Her watch ended that day. But now she's watching over us. She's watching over us in heaven now.”

The love and support from law enforcement officials across the nation overwhelmed Kristen Hearne’s family.

“I can never tell them thank you enough,” Brewer said. “I just want everyone to know: Thank you, and we love you from the bottom of our hearts.”

A GoFundMe Page was set up to support Hearne’s family.

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