Roll of Honor
Incident
Guard John Greer succumbed to stab wounds sustained 11 days earlier during an escape attempt at the Eastham State Prison Farm in Houston County, Texas.
Guard Greer was stabbed in the stomach by one of the eight prisoners who attempted to escape. Other guards who were at the prison farm opened fire on the prisoners during the escape, killing two of them.
Six felons escaped; two men were shot by guards by the river, two were drowned, one was recaptured, and one was apprehended in 1939.
Guard Greer was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division for 13 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, four daughters, and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-C12E1B7C- 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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. John is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Guard Greer gave the Texas Department of Criminal Justice 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John R. Greer served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Guard John R. Greer 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 97,759 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 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 Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, 31 of 124 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John R. Greer's cause is highlighted.
How John R. Greer Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John R. Greer is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John R. Greer was killed by edged weapon; knife.
Military Service
John R. Greer served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit John R. Greer’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
123 officers from Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
