Rockwall County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, September 29, 1876
Age: 37
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 29, 1876
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Sheriff Starks was shot and killed in revenge for the shooting of a suspect in April 1875, almost 18 months earlier. The son of the suspect who had been killed swore revenge on the sheriff for the shooting.
The sheriff had retired from office and was in the process of selling his farm to move. A man came to the farm under the premise he was interested in buying it and then shot Sheriff Starks with a shotgun.
The suspect was arrested and confessed to being hired to murder Sheriff Starks by the son for a fee of $625. The suspect was sentenced to death but committed suicide before being executed.
Sheriff Starks had served as sheriff for 2 years. He was survived by his wife and child.