Roll of Honor
Incident
Marshal Richardson succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained one month earlier when was shot during a traffic stop. He had issued the driver a ticket for driving without an operator's license when the man produced out a .22 caliber handgun and shot him in the chest twice. Marshal Richardson was taken to a local hospital where he underwent two surgeries before succumbing to his wounds. He died on his 48th birthday. The suspect, 26, and his wife, 21, were apprehended the same day. He was charged with murder and his wife, 21, was charged being an accessory. On February, 25, 1970, he was convicted of murder with malice and sentenced to 65 years. He had his first parole hearing in 1980. Result unknown. Marshal Richardson was a WWII veteran.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four daughters.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TX-00A5402C- Stewardship
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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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
City Marshal Richardson served with the Cross Plains Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cross Plains community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, City Marshal Richardson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
City Marshal Byron Richardson 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Byron Richardson's cause is highlighted.
How Byron Richardson Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 65 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Byron Richardson is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Byron Richardson was killed by handgun; .22 caliber.