Ches H. Estes

Whitewright Police Department — Whitewright, TX

Felonious

End of Watch February 4, 1935

Age 34

The Vigil Panel 69 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Marshal Estes was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had attacked a woman only moments earlier. He had entered a darkened cafe while looking for the man and was struck in the chest by a gunshot blast fired by the suspect. On February 22, 1935, the suspect was sentenced to death but received a second trial and was sentenced to 99 years. He was paroled on January 2, 1947.

Survivors

Marshal Estes was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-3581D623
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
City Marshal Estes served with the Whitesboro Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Whitesboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, City Marshal Estes.

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

Agency

Department Whitewright Police Department

Location Whitewright, TX

Platform Identity whitpd.grayson.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 4, 1935

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Paroled in 1947

City Marshal Ches H. Estes 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 Whitewright Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Whitewright Police Department

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious