Police Chief Wilbur Frank Edwards, Taft Police Department, Texas

Police Chief Wilbur Frank Edwards

Taft Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Monday, July 13, 1953

Wilbur Frank Edwards

Chief of Police Wilbur Edwards was shot and killed by a subject without provocation.

He was visiting with merchants, asking them to leave their lights on at night for better protection. As he stood in the driveway of a service station he was approached by the owner and shot twice in the head and then twice in the body with a .22-caliber pistol. The subject was arrested and charged with his murder.

The 62-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1925 he was sentenced to 20 years for a murder conviction in DeQueen, Arkansas, but received a full pardon without having to serve any time.

Chief Edwards was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII. He had served with the United States Border Patrol, Brownsville Police Department and Corpus Christi Police Department before becoming the chief of the Taft Police Department. He was survived by his wife and son.

Bio

Age 40
Tour Not available
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber
Offender Sentenced to life

Most Recent Reflection

View all 6 Reflections

Rest in Peace Chief Wilbur Frank Edwards. Thank You for your Service and Sacrifice Protecting the citizens of Taft, Texas. I also thank You for your Military Service

I Pray for Peace for your Family, Friends and Co-Workers. I also Pray that the hounds of hell forever gnaw on the soul of your murderer.

Amen.

Senior Special Agent B.L. Sherwood (Ret)
Port Terminal Railroad Police Houston, TX

July 17, 2016