Larry Joel Kite
Agency patch
Patrolman

Larry Joel Kite

Mineral Wells Police Department — Mineral Wells, TX
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch December 24, 1971
Age 25
Tour of Duty 1 mo
Badge 39
The Vigil Panel 109 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Larry Kite was shot and killed when he interrupted a burglary at a local plumbing store in the 200 block of NE First Avenue in the downtown business district. When he failed to return at the end of his shift other officers began to search for him. His body was located on Christmas morning. No suspects were ever identified in his murder. Patrolman Kite was a U.S Navy veteran of the Vietnam war and had served with the Mineral Wells Police Department for less than two months.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-827C1990
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. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Larry 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.
Patrolman Kite served with the Mineral Wells Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Mineral Wells community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, TX
Platform Identity mwpd.palopinto.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 24, 1971
Tour of Duty 1 mo
Age 25
Badge Number 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Larry Joel Kite served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Larry Joel Kite 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%.

Mineral Wells Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,460
of 2,421 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Larry Joel Kite's cause is highlighted.

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

How Larry Joel Kite Compares

Age at Death
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Larry Joel Kite is highlighted in Dec.

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. Larry Joel Kite 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

Larry Joel Kite served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

Visit Larry Joel Kite’s page on salute.nw →

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Mineral Wells Police Department are honored on badge.nw.