Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Hutcheson was shot and killed with his own revolver by an unruly prisoner in the county jail. The man was in jail for public drunkenness and was working off a $21 fine. At around 1000 hours, the prisoner threw a piece of metal at Deputy Hutcheson, grazing his head. The deputy reported the incident to the sheriff, who told him not to give the prisoner lunch without the assistance of the sheriff.
Deputy Hutcheson did not heed the warning and enlisted the help of two other prisoners to help serve lunch to the prisoner. As he entered the cell, the man hit him in the head with a pot and knocked him down. The prisoner then grabbed the deputy's .45 caliber service revolver and shot him in the chest. The two other prisoners immediately attacked the prisoner and during the struggle, the suspect was shot in the head and fatally wounded.
The two prisoners who assisted Deputy Hutcheson were released from prison for their heroic actions.
Deputy Hutcheson was survived by his wife and four daughters. He was buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas.
Survivors
Deputy Hutcheson was survived by his wife and four daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-55698082- 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 Hutcheson served with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Beaumont community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hutcheson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff John E. Hutcheson 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 Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John E. Hutcheson's cause is highlighted.
How John E. Hutcheson Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John E. Hutcheson is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John E. Hutcheson was killed by officer's handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Jefferson County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
