Hidalgo County Constable's Office - Precinct 3, Texas
End of Watch: Saturday, February 17, 1979
Age: 22
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 17, 1979
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Case never solved
Deputy Constable Ricky Lewis was found shot to death near his patrol car in Misson, Texas.
He had just dropped his partner off at home and was heading home himself when he stopped an unknown person. During a scuffle, the suspect gained control of Constable Lewis' handgun and shot him with it. When other officers found him his body was laying on top of a .357 caliber handgun.
No suspect or motive was ever identified in the case. However, Constable Lewis' stolen duty weapon was later recovered in a search of the home of a suspect who shot and killed Trooper David Rucker and Patrolman Enrique Carrisalez in 1981. That suspect was never charged with Constable Lewis' death but was sentenced to death for the other two murders. He was executed in 1993.
Constable Lewis had served with the Hidalgo County Constable's Office - Precinct 3 for two years. He was survived by his parents.