Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Matthew Murphy was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle at West Main Street and U.S. Highway 281. Another officer found Patrolman Murphy suffering from four .22 caliber gunshot wounds several minutes after he marked out on the traffic stop. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. The case remained unsolved for 43 years until an inmate serving a life sentence in Alabama was charged with Patrolman Murphy's murder in October 2017. The inmate died in jail in 2020. Patrolman Murphy was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Alice Police Department for 11 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-27863546- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Murphy gave the Alice Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Alice community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Matthew Charles Murphy served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Matthew Charles Murphy 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. Matthew Charles Murphy's cause is highlighted.
How Matthew Charles Murphy Compares
Offender Outcome
Charged with murder in 2017
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Matthew Charles Murphy is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Matthew Charles Murphy was killed by handgun; .22 caliber.