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City Marshal

Laban John Hoffman

Waco Police Department — Waco, TX

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 6, 1871

Age 31

Tour of Duty 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 4 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 10

Incident

City Marshal L. J. Hoffman had been a private in the Texas State Police in 1870 and was assigned to McLennan-Hill county area. He resigned on September 5, 1870 when he qualified as the City Marshal of Waco.

Around noon City Marshal Hoffman was in a barber shop on the southwest corner of the Square and Second Street getting a shave. An unidentified man rode up on horseback, dismounted and entered the barber shop from the rear. He examined the lathered face of the marshal to make sure it was Hoffman. He walked behind the barber chair and shot the marshal in the back of head, killing him instantly. The man remounted and fire two shots at approaching policemen. As the man galloped to the bridge he tossed the toll collector a dollar and said, “Haven’t time to wait for the change,” and sped away.

Texas Governor Edmund J. Davis posted a $1,000 reward for the delivery of the body, dead or alive, of the murderer of Hoffman to the sheriff of McLennan County. The Adjutant General of the State Police reported in June 1871 that George Thomason, alias "Wild George" (name also reported as Williams) was mortally wounded by state policemen, but escaped. It is unknown if he died from his wounds. An alleged accomplice, legendary outlaw John Wesley Hardin, was arrested in 1871 but escaped after killing Texas State Policeman Jim Smalley.

City Marshal Hoffman was born around 1840 in North Carolina and served with the Confederate Army during Civil War. He was survived by his wife, Virginia, and two children, Ephriam, 9, and Beulah, 2. His place of burial has not been located.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, Virginia, and two children, Ephriam, 9, and Beulah, 2.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-180176BA
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 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.
City Marshal Hoffman served with the Waco Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Waco 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

Department Waco Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Waco, McLennan County, TX

Platform Identity wacopd.mclennan.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 6, 1871

Tour of Duty 4 mo

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Military Service

Laban John Hoffman served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

City Marshal Laban John Hoffman 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 Waco Police Department, 9 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 81.8% of this agency's fallen.

Waco Police Department

of 11 officers

81.8% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,460

of 2,421 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious