Jimmie Howard McKay Sr.
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Jimmie Howard McKay Sr.

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch March 22, 1974
Age 43
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Jimmie McKay and his wife, Rose Sharon McKay, were shot and killed after he stopped a vehicle in the 2000 block of Hayes Road, near Westheimer Road, while working a secondary employment assignment at his apartment complex. Deputy McKay's personal vehicle was equipped with emergency lights and a sheriff's department radio. Two motorists found Deputy McKay's body on the side of the road and Mrs. McKay's body in the front seat of the patrol car. Both had been shot and killed. The case remained unsolved until 1997 when cold case detectives began to interview previous suspects. One of the men confessed to murdering Deputy McKay during the traffic stop and ordering his accomplice to murder Mrs. McKay. In 2000 the man who shot Deputy McKay, who was serving a 50-year prison sentence in Oklahoma, was sentenced to 40 additional years. The accomplice also pleaded guilty to murdering Mrs. McKay.

Survivors

Deputy McKay and his wife were survived by three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-04BD3BA8
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Jimmie. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Jimmie is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff McKay 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 McKay.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Houston, Harris County, TX
Platform Identity hcso.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 22, 1974
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Jimmie Howard McKay Sr. served in the U.S. Army (1950–1953) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Jimmie Howard McKay Sr. 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.

Harris County Sheriff's Office
23
of 56 officers
41.1% 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. Jimmie Howard McKay Sr.'s cause is highlighted.

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

How Jimmie Howard McKay Sr. Compares

Age at Death
43
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jimmie Howard McKay Sr. is highlighted in Mar.

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. Jimmie Howard McKay Sr. was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Jimmie Howard McKay Sr. served in the U.S. Army (1950–1953) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Jimmie Howard McKay Sr.’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.