George T. Preston
Agency patch
Guard

George T. Preston

Felonious
End of Watch June 20, 1944
Age 56
The Vigil Panel 80 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Guard George Preston was shot and killed as four inmates escaped from the Wynne Prison Farm near Madisonville, Texas.

The prisoners had obtained a key to the prison arsenal. They entered and armed themselves. One of the prisoners then shot Guard Preston as he sat in a guard cage. The prisoners then took over the main prison building, took control of the remaining employees, and stole the warden's car.

All of the inmates were recaptured. The 42-year-old inmate who shot Guard Preston was sentenced to death but later had his sentence commuted to life. He died in prison on December 12, 1948.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Guard Preston served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Guard Preston.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Huntsville, Walker County, TX
Platform Identity tdcjcidcorr.walker.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1944
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

George is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1944, 59 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 129th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

George was 56. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division has at least 120 officers remembered here, George among them.

Across the years

Guard George T. Preston

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division · End of Watch June 20, 1944

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-W

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