Retired Atlanta Sergeant dies of COVID-19 'He didn't want to go to sleep because he feared that at that point he would let go': Family speaks about the man who gave back to the community for 40 years. Author: Paola Suro (WXIA) Updated: 10:18 AM EST February 26, 2021 ATLANTA — Wayne Snyder was a family man who dedicated forty years of his life to law enforcement. The 61-year-old died from COVID-19 Jan. 23, but his family carries his lengthy legacy on. It's a legacy that includes 30 years working for the Atlanta Police Department until he retired as a Sergeant in 2010. It was a short-lived retirement, as shortly after he went on to work for Park Atlanta, and years later joined the Georgia Department of Corrections as a special agent.