Earl Burkett
Agency patch
Deputy City Marshal

Earl Burkett

Monahans Police Department — Monahans, TX
Felonious
End of Watch May 17, 1939
Age 29
Tour of Duty 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 75 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Marshal Earl Burkett was shot and killed in the city jail while attempting to search a man who had just been arrested. The suspect began a struggle with Deputy Marshal Burkett and shot the marshal through the left lung. The man was apprehended and charged with murder. The 19-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life. He was pardoned October 29, 1953. Deputy Marshal Burkett had been employed with the Monahans Police Department for only six months at the time.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-AD7324EB
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 City Marshal Burkett served with the Monahans Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Monahans community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy City Marshal Burkett.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Monahans, Ward County, TX
Platform Identity mpd.ward.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 17, 1939
Tour of Duty 6 mo
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy City Marshal Earl Burkett 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%.

Monahans Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,461
of 2,422 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Earl Burkett's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Earl Burkett Compares

Age at Death
29
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Earl Burkett is highlighted in May.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Earl Burkett was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Monahans Police Department are honored on badge.nw.