Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable Jesse Matthews was shot and killed while responding to a vehicle crash one mile east of Beckville.
He was on duty while maintaining order at a singing convention when two vehicles collided, and the drivers started arguing. Constable Matthews attempted to settle the dispute when one of the drivers shot and killed him before fleeing the scene.
Texas Rangers were sent to the county to calm down vigilantes looking for the killer. The subject was captured almost a week later. While in custody, he committed suicide in his jail cell.
Constable Matthews was first elected constable in Precinct 2 in November of 1914 and was serving his twelfth term.
Survivors
He was survived by his son and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-27D0B0E3- 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
24 years. You could have gone home.
Constable Matthews gave the Panola County Constable's Office 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Carthage community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Matthews.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Jesse P. Matthews 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. Jesse P. Matthews's cause is highlighted.
How Jesse P. Matthews Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jesse P. Matthews is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jesse P. Matthews was killed by unknown weapon.