Africa-Press – Liberia. The body of the late Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) officer, Agent Emmanuel Payne, who was killed by a mob in Caldwell, has been laid to rest at the Down Street Cemetery in Caldwell, Montserrado County.
He was honored with a hero’s burial on Saturday, October 25, 2025, by his colleagues, who gathered to pay their final respects and celebrate his dedication and service to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.
On July 22, 2025, He met his untimely death after he attempted to intervene in a suspected drug-related incident in the Benson Street area of Caldwell, while off duty, visiting a friend.
According to eyewitness accounts, the LDEA officer encountered a man carrying a black plastic bag suspected to contain narcotics and attempted to intercept him. The suspect, later identified as Franklin B. Feawoe, commonly known as “Black Bottle,” reportedly called for backup from his associates in a nearby ghetto.
Moments later, a large mob descended on Officer Payne, accusing him of being a “motorbike rogue,” a term often used to describe a motorbike thief.
Despite identifying himself as an LDEA officer and firing two warning shots in self-defense, he was overpowered, brutally beaten, and left unconscious.
He was later rushed to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital (JFK) in Monrovia, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
The LDEA, in a statement, condemned the killing as a “heinous and cowardly act” and vowed to work closely with the Liberia National Police (LNP) and other security agencies to ensure that justice is served as the suspect, “Black Bottle,” remains at large, with a manhunt still ongoing.
During the funeral service held at a church in Caldwell, family members, colleagues, and community residents paid tribute to the fallen officer. He was remembered as a dedicated and disciplined law enforcement officer committed to combating drug trafficking and maintaining peace in his community.
At the cemetery, emotional scenes unfolded as Payne’s colleagues from the LDEA danced around his casket, singing the agency’s battle cries and vowing to continue the fight against illicit drugs.
Meanwhile, the burial ceremony featured full honors, including a flag presentation to the bereaved family by the LDEA’s flag unit. Several gun salutes were fired in respect to the fallen agent before his remains were finally laid to rest.
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