Temple Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 26, 1962
Age: 49
Tour of Duty: 16 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 26, 1962
Weapon Used: Handgun; Luger
Suspect Info: Committed
Lieutenant Walter Staley was shot and killed as he pulled into the parking lot of a local service station. The service station was being robbed by a man who had just robbed three other service stations and had taken a total of four hostages from the other robberies. After shooting Lieutenant Staley the man pulled his body from the patrol car and forced one of the hostages to drive them away from the scene. The man was arrested minutes later as he attempted to evade a road block. He was charged with murder and armed robbery.
On October 10, 1962, a jury said the suspect, 22, was sane when he murdered Lieutenant Staley, but became insane in jail while awaiting his trial. The judge ordered he be committed in the mental hospital at Rusk. If he was ever declared sane he would be tried for murder and robbery.
Lieutenant Staley had been with the agency for 6 years. He was survived by his wife and son.