Merkel Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Sunday, April 12, 1936
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 11, 1936
Weapon Used: Handgun; .45 caliber
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Marshal Hutcheson was shot and killed while attempting to speak with the owner of a dance hall near the city limits.
Marshal Hutcheson had responded to the dance hall for the second time that night and asked the owner to step outside to talk. The owner refused and shot Marshal Hutcheson in the left eye as the marshal stood in the doorway. Marshal Hutcheson succumbed to his wound several hours later. The suspect was ran down by a posse and arrested the following day.
The suspect, 51, was ultimately sentenced to life in prison after two death sentences were appealed and overturned. He died in prison on February 2, 1971.
Marshal Hutcheson had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife and three children.