Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Darren Goforth was shot and killed from ambush while pumping gas into his patrol car at a commercial gas station at the intersection of West and Telge Roads in Cypress.
Deputy Goforth was on patrol and had completed an assignment at the scene of a vehicle collision. He went to a local gas station to fuel his patrol car. As Deputy Goforth stood next to his patrol car filling it with fuel, a male subject walked up behind him and fired multiple shots. After Deputy Goforth fell to the ground, the subject shot him several more times before fleeing the scene in a pickup truck.
The subject was apprehended the next day following a massive manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies from around the Harris County and Houston area. He was charged with capital murder.
On September 13th, 2017, the subject plead guilty to capital murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
Deputy Goforth had served with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for 10 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two children, ages 5 and 12.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-AA316ADC- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Goforth gave the Harris County Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Goforth.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Darren H. Goforth is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Harris County Sheriff's Office, 23 of 56 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Darren H. Goforth's cause is highlighted.
How Darren H. Goforth Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Darren H. Goforth is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Darren H. Goforth was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
55 officers from Harris County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
