United States Department of Labor - Immigration Service - United States Border Patrol, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Monday, September 9, 1929
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 9, 1929
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Never apprehended
Senior Patrol Inspector Miles Scannell was shot and killed as he and another inspector patrolled along the shoreline of the Rio Grande River near Polvo, Presidio County, Texas.
The inspectors were about 600 yards apart when the other inspector heard two muffled shots. Around 8:00 am he found Inspector Scannell's body suffering five bullet wounds, 15 stab wounds and badly beaten. There was evidence a struggle had ensued before Inspector Scannell was overpowered. His handcuffs and weapon were missing which led investigators to believe he had handcuffed one suspect before being jumped by the other suspects. It was concluded that he had intercepted a party of illegal aliens crossing the border to pick cotton.
The suspects were never apprehended.
Inspector Scannell had served with the United States Border Patrol for eight years. He was survived by his wife and a two-year-old son. He was buried in Alpine, Texas.