Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Department, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, February 24, 1933
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 18 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 24, 1933
Weapon Used: Rifle
Suspect Info: Released in 1936
Sheriff Sproul was shot and killed while he and two other officer attempted to arrest three youths who had just looted the ranch of a fellow Sheriff. When the three officers surrounded the youth the 19-year-old suspect shot Sheriff Sproul with a rifle he had stolen. When arrested the suspect stated he thought he was shooting a cow.
The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to seven years. He was released on October 13, 1936.
Sheriff Sproul had been with the agency for 18 years and was survived by his wife and young son.