Charles Lee Eustes was born in Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina to parents, Alfred W. and Dorothy Margaret (Waight) Eustes. Eustes had one brother and four sisters (Alfred William Eustes, Jr, Sally, Barbara, Diane, and Vivian) and grew up in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida. Eustes’ father was a meat salesman in Cleveland, Ohio, but had moved to Pinellas County just prior to Charles Eustes’ birth. The family then lived briefly in Guilford County, North Carolina. Eustes went to St. Petersburg High School and graduated in 1959 and also attended St. Petersburg Junior College. In August of 1962, in Pinellas County, Eustes married his wife, Jane Poindexter Ford, and they had one daughter and one son (Jewell Ann and Charles Lee, Jr). Eustes was involved with his father’s business, A.W. Eustes and Son Lawnmower Repair and Sales, located in South Pasadena. Eustes worked as an Auxiliary Officer in South Pasadena and briefly as a sworn police officer for the City of St. Pete Beach.
In 1965, Eustes started working as a police officer for the City of St. Petersburg. On 24 Sep 1967, Eustes was working in patrol and was dispatched to back-up another unit on a call of a domestic quarrel at 2149 ½ Seventh Avenue South. Eustes arrived prior to the primary unit, which had both Officer Leslie J. Lee and Officer Thomas P. Harrell. Eustes could hear moaning coming from the female victim inside the residence and approached on foot, but the suspect, James Edward Weaver, confronted Eustes outside the front of the residence and a physical struggle ensued. During the struggle, Weaver was able to get ahold of Eustes’ firearm from the departments’ cross draw holster, shooting him once in the chest and three times in the back as Eustes crawled away to safety. Eustes was taken to Mound Park Hospital, but was deceased upon arrival at approximately 2030 hours. Weaver was arrested on scene, charged with first degree murder, and eventually given a life sentence.
Officer Eustes was survived by his parents; his wife, Jane; his children, Jewell Anne (4) and Charles Jr. (2); and all of his siblings listed above. The service for Eustes was held at the Child’s Park Methodist Church and a large procession led to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery in Pinellas County. At age 26 and with 2 years of service, Officer Charles Lee Eustes was the eleventh St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
In 1965, Eustes started working as a police officer for the City of St. Petersburg. On 24 Sep 1967, Eustes was working in patrol and was dispatched to back-up another unit on a call of a domestic quarrel at 2149 ½ Seventh Avenue South. Eustes arrived prior to the primary unit, which had both Officer Leslie J. Lee and Officer Thomas P. Harrell. Eustes could hear moaning coming from the female victim inside the residence and approached on foot, but the suspect, James Edward Weaver, confronted Eustes outside the front of the residence and a physical struggle ensued. During the struggle, Weaver was able to get ahold of Eustes’ firearm from the departments’ cross draw holster, shooting him once in the chest and three times in the back as Eustes crawled away to safety. Eustes was taken to Mound Park Hospital, but was deceased upon arrival at approximately 2030 hours. Weaver was arrested on scene, charged with first degree murder, and eventually given a life sentence.
Officer Eustes was survived by his parents; his wife, Jane; his children, Jewell Anne (4) and Charles Jr. (2); and all of his siblings listed above. The service for Eustes was held at the Child’s Park Methodist Church and a large procession led to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery in Pinellas County. At age 26 and with 2 years of service, Officer Charles Lee Eustes was the eleventh St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
Charles Lee Eustes was born in Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina to parents, Alfred W. and Dorothy Margaret (Waight) Eustes. Eustes had one brother and four sisters (Alfred William Eustes, Jr, Sally, Barbara, Diane, and Vivian) and grew up in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida. Eustes’ father was a meat salesman in Cleveland, Ohio, but had moved to Pinellas County just prior to Charles Eustes’ birth. The family then lived briefly in Guilford County, North Carolina. Eustes went to St. Petersburg High School and graduated in 1959 and also attended St. Petersburg Junior College. In August of 1962, in Pinellas County, Eustes married his wife, Jane Poindexter Ford, and they had one daughter and one son (Jewell Ann and Charles Lee, Jr). Eustes was involved with his father’s business, A.W. Eustes and Son Lawnmower Repair and Sales, located in South Pasadena. Eustes worked as an Auxiliary Officer in South Pasadena and briefly as a sworn police officer for the City of St. Pete Beach.
In 1965, Eustes started working as a police officer for the City of St. Petersburg. On 24 Sep 1967, Eustes was working in patrol and was dispatched to back-up another unit on a call of a domestic quarrel at 2149 ½ Seventh Avenue South. Eustes arrived prior to the primary unit, which had both Officer Leslie J. Lee and Officer Thomas P. Harrell. Eustes could hear moaning coming from the female victim inside the residence and approached on foot, but the suspect, James Edward Weaver, confronted Eustes outside the front of the residence and a physical struggle ensued. During the struggle, Weaver was able to get ahold of Eustes’ firearm from the departments’ cross draw holster, shooting him once in the chest and three times in the back as Eustes crawled away to safety. Eustes was taken to Mound Park Hospital, but was deceased upon arrival at approximately 2030 hours. Weaver was arrested on scene, charged with first degree murder, and eventually given a life sentence.
Officer Eustes was survived by his parents; his wife, Jane; his children, Jewell Anne (4) and Charles Jr. (2); and all of his siblings listed above. The service for Eustes was held at the Child’s Park Methodist Church and a large procession led to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery in Pinellas County. At age 26 and with 2 years of service, Officer Charles Lee Eustes was the eleventh St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
In 1965, Eustes started working as a police officer for the City of St. Petersburg. On 24 Sep 1967, Eustes was working in patrol and was dispatched to back-up another unit on a call of a domestic quarrel at 2149 ½ Seventh Avenue South. Eustes arrived prior to the primary unit, which had both Officer Leslie J. Lee and Officer Thomas P. Harrell. Eustes could hear moaning coming from the female victim inside the residence and approached on foot, but the suspect, James Edward Weaver, confronted Eustes outside the front of the residence and a physical struggle ensued. During the struggle, Weaver was able to get ahold of Eustes’ firearm from the departments’ cross draw holster, shooting him once in the chest and three times in the back as Eustes crawled away to safety. Eustes was taken to Mound Park Hospital, but was deceased upon arrival at approximately 2030 hours. Weaver was arrested on scene, charged with first degree murder, and eventually given a life sentence.
Officer Eustes was survived by his parents; his wife, Jane; his children, Jewell Anne (4) and Charles Jr. (2); and all of his siblings listed above. The service for Eustes was held at the Child’s Park Methodist Church and a large procession led to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery in Pinellas County. At age 26 and with 2 years of service, Officer Charles Lee Eustes was the eleventh St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
Gravesite Details
National Law Enforcement Memorial: Panel 12 - W: line 14
