Jon Willis is the third deputy to be killed in the line of duty within the past 15 months.

Lenoir County Detective Allen Pearson was gunned down in April of 2009 in the Tick Bite Community.

Martin County Deputy Charlie Brown was killed in December just outside Williamston.

Sheriff Dan Gibbs says he spoke with Greene County Sheriff Lemmie Smith Wednesday morning at the State Sheriff's Convention near Wilmington just hours before Smith would lose one of his deputies in the line of duty.

Gibbs says 2010 has been a difficult year for his department and they are still recovering.

He says Greene County Lawmen will go through a tough period of mourning and offered his condolences and support.

Gibbs lost one of his men in December when narcotics officer Charlie Brown was gunned down on the job.

Detectives in Martin County continue to honor Brown with a sticker of his badge on some of the patrol cars.