Fallen Cobb County sheriff's deputies honored a year later in private ceremony

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office held a private memorial Friday to honor two deputies killed in the line of duty a year ago.

Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens said Deputies Jonathan Koleski and Marshall Ervin, Jr. were shot and killed while arresting a suspect wanted for theft at a home near Marietta on Sept. 8, 2023.

Friday, the sheriff’s office unveiled a mural and a pair of custom chairs, created in the deputies’ honor.

Owens said Koleski was 42 years old and joined the sheriff’s office in 2007. Ervin Jr. was a 38-year-old father of two and joined the sheriff’s office in 2012. The sheriff described the men as being "outstanding men, men of character and integrity, family mem, loved by their family and kids."

Fellow law enforcement officials who attended Friday’s ceremony say the deaths of Koleski and Ervin had a significant impact on the organization.

They say the memorial is an opportunity for loved ones to come together and reflect.