Richard T. Snow
Agency patch
Officer

Richard T. Snow

Houston Police Department — Houston, TX
Felonious
End of Watch March 18, 1883
The Vigil Panel 7 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Richard Snow responded at midnight to a dance being held at a home in the Fifth Ward for a report of a suspect brandishing a revolver. Upon his arrival, the suspect and Patrolman Snow exchanged gunfire. Officer Snow was struck in the head and passed away from his injuries at noon on Sunday, March 18, 1883. The suspect was apprehended later in the week. In June 1884 the suspect was sentenced to death. However, the governor granted him clemency the following month and commuted the sentence to life imprisonment in August 1884.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-55F7088A
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Richard. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

143 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Snow served with the Houston Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Houston, Harris County, TX
Platform Identity hpd.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 18, 1883
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Officer Richard T. Snow 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 Houston Police Department, 84 of 117 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.8% of this agency's fallen.

Houston Police Department
84
of 117 officers
71.8% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,461
of 2,422 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard T. Snow's cause is highlighted.

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

How Richard T. Snow Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard T. Snow is highlighted in Mar.

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. Richard T. Snow was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909