Roll of Honor
Sidney Albert Syms
Incident
Corrections Officer Sidney Syms was a convict guard at the Retrieve State Prison Farm in Brazoria County. Lee Davis and Willie Davis, were convicts, Lee Davis being under a sentence of 99 years and Willie Davis for 25 years, both for robbery with firearms. It was not reported as to whether they were related. They were a part of a squad of ten convicts under the supervision of Officer Syms. Lee Davis and Willie Davis made an agreement to effect their escape. Syms was armed with a pistol in his scabbard and a shotgun which he had in his hand. According to Lee Davis, the agreed plan was that they were to go for a drink of water and that as they passed Syms, Lee Davis was to grab him, and according to his testimony, Lee Davis did grab Syms, who was sitting upon a block with a shotgun in his lap. Lee Davis grabbed the shotgun from the left side of Syms and Willie Davis at the same time attacked him from the right and grabbed his pistol. Two shots were fired from the pistol, one of which killed Syms by entering his body near his hip and going through his intestines. Lee Davis and Willie Davis fled together, but were captured the next day.
Both Lee Davis and Willie Davis were charged in the murder of Syms. Lee Davis was convicted on July 11, 1929. He was executed in the state prison at Huntsville on August 22, 1930. Willie Davis was too ill to be tried and died of tuberculosis on July 15, 1929 at age 19.
Officer Syms was survived by his wife, Rena Syms. He had one child from his first marriage and seven children from his second marriage. He was buried in the Peach Creek Cemetery in Brazos County.
Survivors
Officer Syms was survived by his wife, Rena Syms.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-7DFB1620- 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.
Correction Officer Syms 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, Correction Officer Syms.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correction Officer Sidney Albert Syms 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. Sidney Albert Syms's cause is highlighted.
How Sidney Albert Syms Compares
Offender Outcome
one executed; one died in prison
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Sidney Albert Syms is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Sidney Albert Syms was killed by handgun.
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.
