Roll of Honor
John William Benjamin Adair
Incident
Deputy Adair was stabbed to death while escorting six escapees back to the Hunt County Jail.
As the traveled back to the jail, one of the inmates attempted to escape again. Deputy Adair gave his pistol to a passing citizen and told him to go after the inmate. While Deputy Adair was guarding the remaining prisoners, they attacked him. The suspects cut Deputy Adair's throat and wrist, then they cut him from his shoulder to his waist. Deputy Adair succumbed to his injuries four days later.
Survivors
Deputy Adair had served with the Hunt County Sheriff's Office for two years and was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-110B8466- 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
140 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Jailer Adair gave the Hunt County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Greenville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Jailer John William Benjamin Adair 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 Hunt County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John William Benjamin Adair's cause is highlighted.
How John William Benjamin Adair Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John William Benjamin Adair is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Hunt County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
