Warren County investigator voted DeKalb County sheriff
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?Warren County has been good to me,? Ray said of his nearly four years here working under Sheriff Jackie Matheny as an investigator. ?I?ve made a lot of friends here and now I look forward, as sheriff of DeKalb County, to working together with Warren County.?
Ray, the Republican nominee, defeated Democrat Myron Rhody by a count of 2,584 votes to 2,159. Rhody had toppled incumbent Lloyd Emmons during the May primary.
?There?s no telling how many miles I put on my boots,? Ray said. ?I knocked on every door I could and asked for as many votes as I could.?
It was an election four years ago which brought Ray to Warren County when his then-boss, former Sheriff Kenneth Pack, was beaten by Emmons. Ray had served as chief deputy under Pack. Prior to that time he had worked his way up the law enforcement ladder, working as a dispatcher and deputy in 13 years of law enforcement experience.
During his time here, Ray has worked an assortment of cases, ranging from drugs to theft cases, gaining additional experience he said he plans to use when he takes the sheriff?s job on Sept. 1. Ray was named Officer of the Year by McMinnville Noon Exchange for 2003-04.
Ray said he will likely continue working here for two weeks before officially leaving to begin organizing his department.