Richard McCoy
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Richard McCoy

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch May 16, 1881
Age 51
The Vigil Panel 6 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Richard McCoy was shot and killed in LaSalle County while searching for cattle thieves.

Deputy McCoy was riding with several Texas Rangers and cattlemen when they discovered approximately 100 stolen cattle.

The group rounded up the cattle and took them to a nearby home to temporarily store them. Unbeknownst to the deputy, the home was owned by a notorious cattle thief. As Deputy McCoy asked the man's wife if he could pen the cattle there, the man and his friends setup an ambush. They opened fire on Deputy McCoy as he opened the corral gate, killing him.

The property owner and one of his friends were charged with Deputy McCoy's murder. Because the informant was a known horse thief his testimony was not enough to convict the suspects and the charges were dropped. One of the men later murdered Deputy Sheriff Gabriel Pool, of the Milam County Sheriff's Office, on April 7th, 1887.

Deputy McCoy was a veteran of the Confederate Army. He had previously served as a Texas Ranger for one year.

Rest in Peace, Deputy McCoy. He was murdered by the same outlaw, Will Jacobs, that murdered my cousin, Gabriel Leander "Lee" Pool, in Milam County, Texas in 1887.

Jack Pool, U.S. Border Patrol, 1971 to 2002. I have personally known many officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, may they rest in peace. April 4th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-EA5B2E87
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.
Deputy Sheriff McCoy served with the Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Seguin 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 Sheriff's Office
Location Seguin, Guadalupe County, TX
Platform Identity gcso.guadalupe.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 16, 1881
Age 51
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Military Service

Richard McCoy served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Richard McCoy 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 Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office
2
of 2 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. Richard McCoy's cause is highlighted.

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

How Richard McCoy Compares

Age at Death
51
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard McCoy is highlighted in May.

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 McCoy was killed by gun; unknown type.

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

Military Service

Richard McCoy served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Richard McCoy’s page on salute.nw →

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.