Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer William Welch was shot and killed after walking in on a robbery in progress at a 7-11 store at 4301 Camp Bowie in Fort Worth. Driving separate patrol cars, he and another officer stopped at the store to get a soda. Officer Welch, suspicious of cars parked at the store, jotted down several license numbers and then entered the store with the other officer. The robber shot him and fled as Officer Welch and the other officer emptied their guns. The suspect, who was hit and wounded, was arrested when he sought treatment at a local hospital. He tried and failed to prove his wound was caused by a knife. The license numbers Officer Welch wrote down proved the suspect was at the store. On October 11, 1973, the suspect, 37, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 99 years. Officer Welch had served with the Fort Worth Police Department for six years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and his parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-82819E1D- 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.
Officer Welch gave the Fort Worth Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Worth community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Welch.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer William Vernon Welch 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 Fort Worth Police Department, 33 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Vernon Welch's cause is highlighted.
How William Vernon Welch Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Vernon Welch is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Vernon Welch was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
58 officers from Fort Worth Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
