Mississippi is grieving the loss of another sheriff.

Issaquena County Sheriff Richard Jones died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He is Mississippi’s third sheriff to die in office since August 2021. Hinds County Sheriff Lee Vance and Yalobusha County Sheriff Mark Fulco both died in early August of complications of Covid-19.

“Richard was a soft spoken man dedicated to law enforcement and having the temperament to know how to treat another human being even when they broke the law,” said his longtime friend Jake Henry said on Facebook. “In other words, he was cut out to be in law enforcement simply because he did his job with a strong hand but at the same time he had the ability to be compassionate when he needed to be.”

Each and every post on Facebook alluded to how well-loved Sheriff Jones was.

“Everybody loved Richard, AKA Cisco,” wrote Reginald Anderson, a friend of 50 years. “Many people knew him as Richard, Sheriff, but I knew Cisco. RIP, my brother, you’re gonna be missed so much. That laugh and smile will be missed.”

Arrangements for Sheriff Jones have not yet been announced.