HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — For the first time in 52 years, Houston County voters elected a new sheriff on Tuesday. A few days before on Halloween, Billy Rape stepped up to fill in the late-sheriff's term.
Until Republican Matt Moulton is sworn in on New Year's Day, Rape is Houston County's interim sheriff.
He is completing the final 60 days of Cullen Talton's 13th term.
After a sheriff passes during an election year in Georgia, state law requires the chief deputy to take over the role of interim sheriff until the sheriff-elect's inauguration day.
The interim sheriff emphasized, "I do not like the spotlight."
Rape said he didn't want last week's swear-in ceremony to be "a big deal," but appreciates the support he had on a day he called "bittersweet."
For the last 18 years, Rape's served as Sheriff Talton's chief deputy. He was promoted after former Chief Deputy Willie Talton retired in 2006 after serving the Houston County Sheriff Department for 33 years.
After our nation's longest serving sheriff passed away three days after his 92nd birthday, Talton was succeeded by his chief deputy for the remainder of his term.
"Our goal was to finish out the 52 years," Rape said. "We sorta sent that as a benchmark and we wanted to make it. It's sad to say that we didn't make it."
During their final conversation Rape recalled what he said to Talton.
"I told him that he didn't have to worry, it'd be just like it if he was here, and that's the way we was gonna do it," Rape said holding back tears.
Rape said he never "envisioned or desired" to be sheriff. He explained he is "satisfied" with his role and duties as chief deputy.
An attorney from the Georgia's Sheriff Association convinced Rape to complete Talton's term, he said.
"I thought we could just leave it like it was, which was certainly fine with me," Rape explained. "The attorney said that it needed to be done. We wanted to do whatever was correct by law, because we didn't want the department to get into kind of confrontation or discussion about us doing something wrong."
Despite not liking the spotlight, Rape said he was surprised with how elaborate the swear-in ceremony was.
"Now, about the event itself," Rape continued. "I wish now that I could have just slipped in the back door and let the probate judge done it and got out of there. But, I never intended for it to grow like that."
The interim-sheriff said the law wasn't on his radar as a kid.
His mom was a first grade teacher at Thomas Elementary; his dad was the general manager for Fickling & Walker Construction, now known as Fickling & Company.
"When my father was appointed chief of police as a teenager in high school, I thought that was the end of the world," Rape recalled. "I thought all my friends would abandon me and hold it against me and all, but that wasn't the case."
As a product of Houston County Schools, Rape said he enlisted in the air force after graduating.
He served from 1966 to 1970.
"I'm not a person that likes a lot of change and we had to move every year," Rape said. "We always went somewhere else and, that just didn't sit well with me."
So, he moved back home to Houston.
At the time, Talton was a county commissioner running as sheriff.
During his first campaign year, Rape tagged along with his dad to Talton's rally.
"After we were through it, I told him, I said, you know, that's somebody after listening to what he dream of improving the Sheriff's Department, at that time, was that I could work for him."
After that, Rape sent his application in and was sworn in the same day Talton took office as sheriff on January 1, 1973.
He started off in investigations and was promoted over time, eventually taking on the role as Talton's second in command in 2006.
Now, as interim sheriff, he's preparing the seat for sheriff-elect Matt Moulton.
"As far as our operation is concerned right now, until the new sheriff comes in, whoever that was gonna be at the time, there would not be any major changes," Rape said.
After the hand off happens, Rape said "I want to see this department thrive."
During 13WMAZ's exclusive interview with Moulton the morning after election night, the sheriff-elect said Rape will remain as chief deputy during his term.
We asked Rape to confirm those plans; he said, "If Matt will have me."