Roll of Honor
John Luckie Elsberry
Incident
Location: Texas Weapon: Rifle Offender: Acquitted
Night Watchman John Elsberry was shot and killed in Valentine, Texas, while responding to a robbery.
During the night two masked men entered the general store in Valentine in Jeff Davis County. Asleep inside the store were U.S. Customs Inspector E.E. Townsend, a store employee and a railroad brakeman. The armed men took $325 from the safe. Unbeknownst to the robbers, a witness saw the men wearing pulled-up bandanas and carrying rifles as they entered the store. The witness ran to the railroad section house and summoned Night Watchman Elsberry, the railroad company’s experienced night watchman and a former senior Captain of the Southern Pacific Railroad’s watchmen in El Paso.
Night Watchman Elsberry went to the back door and knocked. The store employee hinted that they were being robbed so he fired one round to warn the robbers and alert the men around the store. The two robbers fled out the back door, directly at Watchman Elsberry, and started firing as they ran. The posse of eight citizens also opened fire. The men heard a cry of pain and Watchman Elsberry call out, “Oh my God! I’m shot!” Upon investigation Watchman Elsberry was found shot through the body by the robber’s .40-82 Winchester rifle. He died within minutes at the scene. The two robbers escaped into the night.
Two brothers were arrested and indicted. One produced an alibi, but the other was convicted of the robbery and sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, he was acquitted of Watchman Elsberry's murder. He appealed the robbery conviction and was later acquitted. The crime remains legally unsolved.
Night Watchman Elsberry was survived by his wife and three children. His place of burial remains unknown.
Survivors
Night Watchman Elsberry was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
131 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Night Watchman Elsberry served with the Southern Pacific Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Night Watchman John Luckie Elsberry 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 Southern Pacific Railroad Police Department, 15 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Luckie Elsberry's cause is highlighted.
How John Luckie Elsberry Compares
Offender Outcome
Acquitted
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Luckie Elsberry is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Luckie Elsberry was killed by rifle.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
22 officers from Southern Pacific Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
