Jess Claude White

Ellis County Sheriff's Office — Waxahachie, TX

Felonious

End of Watch January 8, 1944

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 80 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Deputy White was shot and killed by an escaped convict he had arrested at 10:30 p.m. He searched the suspect but failed to find a concealed revolver.

As he drove the man to jail the suspect produced the weapon and opened fire, wounding Deputy White and causing him to lose control of his car. The vehicle overturned and both men received additional injuries. Deputy White was taken to the Waxahachie Sanitarium where he succumbed to his wounds.

The suspect was taken into custody and executed in the electric chair on December 19, 1944.

Deputy White was survived by his wife and two sons.

Survivors

Deputy White was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-431B7050
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.
Deputy Sheriff White gave the Ellis County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Waxahachie community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff White.

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

Agency

Department Ellis County Sheriff's Office

Location Waxahachie, TX

Platform Identity ecso.ellis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 8, 1944

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Executed in 1944

Deputy Sheriff Jess Claude White 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 Ellis County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Ellis County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious