Reagan County Constable's Office - Precinct 5, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, November 12, 1926
Age: 58
Tour of Duty: 3 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 12, 1926
Weapon Used: Handgun; .45 caliber
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Constable George Hays was shot and killed by a man whom he had ejected from a dance at a Santa Rita Hotel, in Best, earlier in the night. The subject returned to the hotel and shot Constable Hays twice in the head with a .45 caliber pistol.
The man then shot two bystanders, killing one of them, before fleeing the scene. He committed suicide two days later.
Constable Hays served for 3 months before he was killed. He was previously a general foreman for about 20 years on numerous West Texas ranches. He was survived by his wife and one son. He was buried in the Fairmont Cemetery in San Angelo. Constable Hays was appointed constable for Precinct 5 on August 9th, 1926, and elected to the position on November 2, 1926. The position of constable no longer exists in Reagan County.