Roll of Honor
Incident
Privates Robert Lee Burdett and Charles Beall were members of Company B and stationed at Fabens in El Paso County. A group of men were drinking and were warned by the rangers to cease the disturbance. When they started yelling again, Burdett and Beall went into an alley where they were gathered and started to arrest them. A gun battle erupted and Burdett was shot just below the throat and was killed. Beall returned fire but the men escaped into Mexico. Captain Fox requested that Mexican authorities return the men, but they refused. Infamous bandit Pancho Villa controlled this part of Mexico and he executed three of the men for crimes they also committed in Mexico.
Burdett was 32 years old and was survived by his mother. He was buried in Mount Cavalry Cemetery in Austin in an unmarked grave. His name has been reported as Burdette in various reports.
Survivors
Burdett was 32 years old and was survived by his mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-CD55AFDF- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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.
Private Burdett served with the Texas Rangers.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private Burdett.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Private Robert Lee Burdett 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 Rangers, 104 of 122 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Lee Burdett's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Lee Burdett Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in Mexico
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Lee Burdett is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert Lee Burdett was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
