Henderson County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch: Monday, September 17, 1928
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 17, 1928
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Killed by mob
Deputy Sheriff John Reeves was shot and killed when asking a subject to leave a dance in Malakoff.
Around 1:15 a.m., Deputy Reeves asked the subject to leave the building. Without warning, the subject pulled a pistol and shot Deputy Sheriff Reeves in the head, killing him instantly. The subject left the scene of the shooting but returned a short time later and surrendered to the Henderson County Constable.
While being transported to the county jail in Athens, the car was intercepted by a group of men. The constable was pulled out of the car, and two of the men shot the subject seven times, killing him instantly. Neither the constable nor the man driving the vehicle was injured by the gunfire. The identity of the men who shot the subject was not known to the constable or the driver.
Deputy Reeves was survived by his wife and three small children.
He is buried at Restland Memorial Park, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.