James W. Horton

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA

Felonious

End of Watch September 19, 1920

Age 36

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 39 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Officer Horton was shot and killed when he interrupted a burglary in progress of a wine cellar at Chestnut Street and Powell Street. On August 3, 1922, Officer Horton's killer shot and killed Detective Sergeant Timothy Bailey with the San Francisco Police Department. The subject told his sister-in-law that he had gotten away with six murders including that of Officer Horton. She called the San Francisco Police and reported what he had said. A search was already underway for the subject after county jail inmates informed police that the subject, while in jail with them, had bragged to them about getting away with six murders including that of Officer Horton. As Sergeant Bailey with several officers arrived at their shack the subject opened fire killing him, wounded another officer, killed his sister-in-law, and then shot and killed himself. The killer, 28, was Walter Castor. He had killed a man in 1913, was convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to six years, and released in 1918. His mother said he was kicked in the head by a horse when he was 7-years-old, and was never right again after that. His father was Officer Charles F. Castor of the San Francisco Police Department, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on November 26, 1911.

Survivors

Officer Horton had been with the agency for three years and was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-79A5E9ED
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.
Officer Horton gave the San Francisco Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Horton.

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

Agency

Department San Francisco Police Department

Location San Francisco, CA

Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 19, 1920

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Committed suicide

Officer James W. Horton 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At San Francisco Police Department, 66 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.3% of this agency's fallen.

San Francisco Police Department

of 106 officers

62.3% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious