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| Patrolman Gayle Lamar Holmes Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol Texas End of Watch: Friday, May 19, 1972 Biographical Info Age: 26 Tour of Duty: 1 week Badge Number: Not available Incident Details Cause of Death: Gunfire Date of Incident: Friday, May 19, 1972 Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type Suspect Info: Sentenced to life imprisonment Patrolman Holmes and Sheriff Paul Vinson, of the King County Sheriff's Department, Texas, were shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call outside a rural store between Paducah and Guthrie.
While they were placing one man in the patrol car, another man stepped onto the porch of the store behind them and began firing. A third highway patrolman returned fire, but suffered no injury.
The suspect was taken into custody at a ranch about a mile away. He was later convicted of Sheriff Vinson's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Patrolman Holmes had been with the agency for only 12 days and was stationed at Spur. He was survived by his wife and child. Related Line of Duty Deaths |  |