A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, both Willard and his brother, Christopher Columbus Ayers, grew up to become U.S. Deputy Marshals in the early 1870s before Judge Isaac Parker took office. In 1873, Ayers was wounded by a prisoner when he, along with U.S. Deputy Marshals, Perry DuVal and James Wilkerson, were escorting prisoners to from Indian Territory to Fort Smith, Arkansas. DuVal was killed but Ayers recovered from his wound and returned to work. Several years later, on August 11, 1880, Ayers attempted to arrest Emanuel Patterson, an African American wanted for larceny. When Ayers went to Patterson's home near Cherokeetown in the Chickasaw Nation to arrest the man, Patterson asked if he could get some clothes and Ayers agreed. However, when Patterson returned, he had a gun and shot Ayers in the head. The fugitive then escaped. However, in 1886, Patterson was arrested and taken to Fort Smith on another violation. He would later admit to killing Ayers, but claimed he didn't known he was an officer, but thought he was an enemy trying to kill him. Patterson was convicted of murder in October, 1887 and sentenced to be hanged the following April. However, his sentence was later commuted to life in prison, where he died.
A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, both Willard and his brother, Christopher Columbus Ayers, grew up to become U.S. Deputy Marshals in the early 1870s before Judge Isaac Parker took office. In 1873, Ayers was wounded by a prisoner when he, along with U.S. Deputy Marshals, Perry DuVal and James Wilkerson, were escorting prisoners to from Indian Territory to Fort Smith, Arkansas. DuVal was killed but Ayers recovered from his wound and returned to work. Several years later, on August 11, 1880, Ayers attempted to arrest Emanuel Patterson, an African American wanted for larceny. When Ayers went to Patterson's home near Cherokeetown in the Chickasaw Nation to arrest the man, Patterson asked if he could get some clothes and Ayers agreed. However, when Patterson returned, he had a gun and shot Ayers in the head. The fugitive then escaped. However, in 1886, Patterson was arrested and taken to Fort Smith on another violation. He would later admit to killing Ayers, but claimed he didn't known he was an officer, but thought he was an enemy trying to kill him. Patterson was convicted of murder in October, 1887 and sentenced to be hanged the following April. However, his sentence was later commuted to life in prison, where he died.
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