Roll of Honor
Major Joe Crowson
Incident
Prison Guard Major Crowson succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained 11 days earlier during an escape attempt at the Eastham Unit Unit. He was shot by members of the Bonnie and Clyde Gang as several members of the gang were making a prison escape. Bonnie and Clyde had smuggled weapons inside and were waiting outside with machine guns during the escape. As Guard Crowson rode up on a horse he was shot and wounded. The two prison escapees were executed for the murder approximately one year later. Guard Crowson is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Lovelady, Houston County, Texas. The Bonnie and Clyde Gang was responsible for the murder of law enforcement officers in four states - Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas - between 1932 and 1934. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow started their criminal career by robbing banks and quickly became notorious murderers wanted for the murders of nine law enforcement officers. The two criminals were finally shot and killed in Louisiana when they were ambushed by a task force of Texas and Louisiana officers.
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Prison Guard Crowson served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prison Guard Crowson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Prison Guard Major Joe Crowson 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 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. Major Joe Crowson's cause is highlighted.
How Major Joe Crowson Compares
Offender Outcome
Both shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Major Joe Crowson is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Major Joe Crowson was killed by rifle; machine gun.
Incident Location
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.
