Motley County Sheriff's Department, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, November 12, 1976
Age: 61
Tour of Duty: 29 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 12, 1976
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Sheriff Jinks Wilson was shot in the chest and killed by two armed robbery suspects when he caught them switching the license plates on two cars on Highway 70 at 11:50 a.m.
Sheriff Wilson was driving a motorist back to his disabled car when they encountered the two men switching the license plates from the disabled car to their getaway car. The suspects opened fire with a shotgun, killing Sheriff Wilson and wounding the citizen.
The two men were escapees from a Louisiana prison. Both men, 25 and 28, were captured within two hours near Crosbyton. Both were convicted of Sheriff Wilson's murder. One was sentenced to 40 years, and the other, the oldest, was sentenced to death on August 10, 1977. On March 21, 1979, the Texas Court of Appeals ordered a new trial. He received a life sentence.
Sheriff Wilson had served with the Motley County Sheriff's Department for 29 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.