Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Donald Knowlton was shot and killed after he and other deputies responded to a call involving an elderly man who was shooting at homes. When the officers arrived they located the man's footprints and followed them to a nearby outhouse in a field behind his home at 4022 Darwin Road. The suspect opened fire with a shotgun from inside the outhouse, striking Deputy Knowlton in the throat and chest. Deputy Knowlton was able to return fire and wounded the suspect, who was taken into custody. The 82-year-old suspect was found to be incoherent. He died in a Houston nursing home on September 8, 1963.
Survivors
Deputy Knowlton was survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-CF83E9C7- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Knowlton served with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Knowlton.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Donald E. Knowlton is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
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. Donald E. Knowlton's cause is highlighted.
How Donald E. Knowlton Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald E. Knowlton is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald E. Knowlton was killed by shotgun.
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.
