Tom Pye
Agency patch
Special Deputy Sheriff

Tom Pye

Felonious
End of Watch September 23, 1909
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 24 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Deputy Sheriff Tom Pye and Special Deputy Sheriff Hillen Munson were shot and killed while riding on posse attempting to arrest two escapees from the Brazoria County Jail.

The escapees had murdered a railroad stationmaster after escaping and were being sought by the posse. The posse had tracked the men to a cabin in Sandy Point. Deputy Munson, who had employed the cabin's owner, approached it in an attempt to talk the men into surrendering. One of the occupants opened fire with a shotgun, killing Deputy Munson.

The two subjects were able to flee from the cabin. One of them was arrested one week later while hiding in a cabin. Another posse was formed and located the second subject hiding in a thicket near Sandy Point. The man shot and killed Special Deputy Tom Pye before being killed by return gunfire.

The suspect who was arrested was returned to prison.

Rest in peace and always know that no passage of time will ever erase your service and sacrifice.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) September 15th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-69BDDFB2
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Deputy Sheriff Pye served with the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Angleton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Sheriff Pye.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Angleton, Brazoria County, TX
Platform Identity bcso.brazoria.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 23, 1909
Tour of Duty
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Special Deputy Sheriff Tom Pye 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 Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, 8 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Brazoria County Sheriff's Office
8
of 12 officers
66.7% 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. Tom Pye's cause is highlighted.

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

How Tom Pye Compares

Years of Service
0
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Tom Pye is highlighted in Sep.

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. Tom Pye was killed by shotgun.

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

Incident Location