El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, April 26, 1940
Age: 55
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 26, 1940
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Deputy Sheriff John Cramer was shot and killed by a prisoner one mile west of Clint, Texas.
He had arrested the man for abusing a woman and was transporting him to a justice of the peace to obtain charges. The prisoner, who had not been handcuffed, suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed Deputy Cramer in the abdomen several times before disarming him and fatally shooting him.
His body was found in his car and his service revolver was missing. Three hours later the prisoner was shot and killed when he opened fire on officers attempting to arrest him.
Deputy Cramer had served with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office for eight years.