Donald Richard Crooms

One of Houston County’s most loyal and faithful servants, District Attorney Investigator Donald Richard Crooms, tragically passed away in the line of duty on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 30, 2022. He was 56 years old.

Born in Dublin, Georgia, Richard was the son of Mary Frances Lumley Crooms of Dublin, and the late Benny David Crooms. Investigator Crooms served at the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office from 1986 to 2011, where he retired as a Senior Lieutenant. During his tenure at the BCSO, he was part of the DUI task force, the assistant commander of the Middle Georgia Drug Task Force from 2001-2004, a patrol commander from 2005-2010, in SWAT for 13 years, and was the lead training instructor and second-in-command for the Training Division. Investigator Crooms then went on to train future law enforcement officers in firearms and basic mandates at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Georgia from 2013 to 2016. He served as an Officer at Middle Georgia University Police Department from 2016 to 2019. For a short time, Richard worked at Dublin Chevrolet and Nissan. Investigator Crooms joined the Houston County District Attorney’s Office as an investigator and served from September 2020 until his passing. He was a true “Brother in Blue.”

Acting District Attorney Will Kendall, said, “Richard set the example for others to follow and kept a kind attitude, I know he loved his family and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement. He often would share stories about his family and children, always speaking words of love. I knew Richard to be kindhearted, fair, and motivated. He was quick to make friends, quick to help out and seemed to always have an optimistic mindset. Richard was an asset to this Office and the people of Houston County. He had helped train and mentor hundreds of law enforcement officers throughout his life. Undoubtedly, Richard impacted a lot of lives, and his legacy will carry on through us. We at the DA’s Office are forever grateful of Investigator Richard Crooms, and as we move on to another day, we will remember him, his family and the lives he touched. God bless Richard and his family.”

When he wasn’t serving the community, Richard was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed camping, riding motorcycles, and fishing. A “War Eagle” through and through, Richard loved Auburn and watching his beloved football team. He was a grill master and attended many Big Pig Jigs with his friends and family.

Those left to treasure his memory include his wife of 10 years, Julie Marrett Crooms; children, Kelly Crooms of Macon, Christopher Crooms of Florida, Brandon Crooms of Clovis, New Mexico, Sarah Crooms of Macon, and Christopher Smith of Auburn, Alabama; mother, Mary Frances Crooms; brother, Benny “Raymond” Crooms (Susan) of Roberta; nephews, Taylor and Ryan; and many friends, coworkers, and community members whose lives he impacted.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 3, 2022 at McCullough Funeral Home. His service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, April 4, 2022 at Southside Baptist Church. Richard will be laid to rest at Bonaire Community Cemetery.

For friends and family unable to attend, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made in Investigator Richard Crooms’ memory to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), P.O. Box 3199, Camdenton, MO 65020 or online at https://www.concernsofpolicesurvivors.org/show-support.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at www.mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.