§ 38-4-19

If an officer, taking property under execution, dies before the sale thereof, and there be no deputies of such officer acting in the case, a writ of venditioni exponas may, upon a suggestion of the fact, be directed to such sheriff or other officer of the county wherein the property was taken as may be in office at the time the writ issues. Whereupon the officer to whom the writ is directed shall take possession of the property previously levied upon, whether the same be in the possession of the representative of the deceased officer or the execution debtor, and proceed to advertise and sell it and account for the proceeds thereof in like manner as if the levy had been made by himself