By Heidi Perez-Moreno
heidiperez-moreno@borderbelt.org
James H. Marshburn had worked as a trooper for the North Carolina Highway Patrol for less than two months when he got a call on Sept. 19, 1964, about suspicious activity on a southbound lane of Interstate 95, about five miles north of Lumberton.
When Marshburn and another trooper arrived at the scene of a stolen car, they encountered two convicts who had escaped a work detail in Raleigh. As the troopers got out of their patrol vehicle, the men opened fire. In an exchange of bullets, Marshburn was shot three times and died 90 minutes later at a hospital. He was 21.
More than 60 years later, a new bridge on N.C. 130 over I-95 now bears Marshburn’s name. The dedication is part of a statewide initiative to honor every state Highway Patrol trooper killed in the line of duty throughout the agency’s 95-year history, according to N.C. Department of Transportation spokesperson Andrew Barksdale.
The effort, which began last year, aims to recognize each fallen trooper with memorial signage and formal dedication ceremonies. Officials hope to complete the project by the end of this year.
A dedication ceremony was held at Robeson Community College on Friday to honor Marshburn. It is the first bridge to be dedicated to a fallen trooper in Robeson County, according to an NCDOT map.
“Today’s dedication stands as a powerful testament to Patrolman James Marshburn’s service to his community, his unwavering faith, and the enduring support of those gathered here,” said Grady Hunt, a local attorney and member of the N.C. Board of Transportation. “The presence of so many from nearby towns reflects the lasting impact he had and the deep respect for the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers in communities across our state.
Marshburn’s sister, Laurie Taylor, 78, attended the ceremony. She said Marshburn was determined to become a Highway Patrol trooper as a teenager. She believes he became interested in law enforcement after he witnessed police respond to the death of their father, who suffered from narcolepsy and fell off a bridge into a river.
When Marshburn started work with the Highway Patrol in the summer of 1964, Taylor said, it was clear he had found his calling—something he felt guided by faith to pursue.
“Though he was tragically killed in the line of duty,” Taylor said, “he fulfilled what he believed was his purpose.”
The day he died, the two inmates who had escaped had stolen the car they later abandoned on the interstate. They also stole .45-caliber pistols from a National Guard building, according to Marshburn’s Officer Down Memorial Page.
One of the men was killed in an exchange of gunfire with Marsbhburn. The other suspect ran into the woods but was captured four hours later when bloodhounds tracked him down. He had a long criminal record and was serving time for armed robbery, vehicle theft, and felony breaking and entering. He was sentenced to an additional 35 years in prison for Marshburn’s murder and was released on May 2, 1991.
During the ceremony on Friday, Hunt said his hope is that people will cross the bridge and pause, even if for a moment, to remember Marshburn’s ultimate sacrifice and the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers every day.
“As members of this profession, we don’t need reminders of the risks, but we do have a responsibility to carry out our mission with honor, courage, and dedication, ” Taylor said. “As we name this bridge in his memory, we reaffirm our commitment to uphold the values he stood for and the legacy he left behind.”
