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Deputy Sheriff

Thomas J. Deaton

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office — Hamilton, TX

Felonious

End of Watch December 8, 1893

Age 33

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 12 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Deputy Deaton was shot and killed while and other posse members attempted to serve a warrant on a suspect wanted for several crimes. The suspect saw the posse approaching his house and opened fire, striking Deputy Deaton in the head.

Survivors

Deputy Deaton had been with the agency for ten years and was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-11721268
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

133 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Deaton gave the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hamilton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Hamilton County Sheriff's Office

Location Hamilton, TX

Platform Identity hcso.hamilton.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 8, 1893

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Deputy Sheriff Thomas J. Deaton 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%.

At Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas J. Deaton's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Thomas J. Deaton Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas J. Deaton is highlighted in Dec.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Hamilton County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.