Samuel Garcia Infante Jr.

Dallas County Sheriff's Department — Dallas, TX

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 15, 1971

Age 32

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

The Vigil Panel 108 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 19

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Samuel Infante, Deputy William Reese, and Deputy Arthur Robertson, of the Ellis County Sheriff's Department, were shot and killed after being abducted by two men while conducting a burglary investigation. Their murders became known as the "Trinity River Massacre". Deputy Reese and Deputy Infante were backing up Deputy Robertson at the home of one of the suspects. Five deputies were abducted and taken to the Trinity River. The three deputies killed were shot execution style. A fourth Dallas County deputy was able to escape and get help. The fifth deputy was shot in the chest but survived. The suspects, 24 and 33, were apprehended four days later in Dallas after the most intensive search in Dallas County history. They later told investigators they wanted to leave Dallas and get away as far as they could, but their heroin habit was so bad they needed to stay near their suppliers. The oldest had spent 18 years of his life in prison for numerous crimes, including armed robbery and burglary. A murder charge against him had been dropped recently because witnesses refused or were either too afraid to testify. The case had widespread repercussions in Dallas for reasons other than the actual killing. Two persons believed to be informants in the hunt for the two had died. One was shot and killed in Dallas. The other was killed in an oil drilling accident that had indications of foul play. Both suspects were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. In 1972 their sentences were commuted to life. The youngest was paroled on December 18, 1990. No one was notified of his parole hearing. His parole angered so many state and federal officials that the parole process was changed. The most major change was that anyone convicted of capital murder could not be considered for parole for 35 years. Then in October of 1995, the suspect was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Lubbock. For reasons unknown, nothing surfaced that he had violated his parole. Thanks to a Da

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-8DCB8D03
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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 Infante gave the Dallas County Sheriff's Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Dallas 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

Department Dallas County Sheriff's Department

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Dallas, Dallas County, TX

Platform Identity dcso.dallas.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 15, 1971

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Age 32

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Samuel Garcia Infante Jr. served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Samuel Garcia Infante Jr. 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 Dallas County Sheriff's Department, 14 of 20 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70% of this agency's fallen.

Dallas County Sheriff's Department

of 20 officers

70% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,460

of 2,421 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious