Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Walter Staley was shot and killed as he pulled into the parking lot of a local service station. The service station was being robbed by a man who had just robbed three other service stations and had taken a total of four hostages from the other robberies. After shooting Lieutenant Staley the man pulled his body from the patrol car and forced one of the hostages to drive them away from the scene. The man was arrested minutes later as he attempted to evade a road block. He was charged with murder and armed robbery. On October 10, 1962, a jury said the suspect, 22, was sane when he murdered Lieutenant Staley, but became insane in jail while awaiting his trial. The judge ordered he be committed in the mental hospital at Rusk. If he was ever declared sane he would be tried for murder and robbery. Lieutenant Staley had been with the agency for 6 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-0A0AC54D- 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.
Lieutenant Staley gave the Temple Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Temple community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Staley.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant Walter A. Staley 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 Temple Police Department, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter A. Staley's cause is highlighted.
How Walter A. Staley Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter A. Staley is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Walter A. Staley was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Temple Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
