Roll of Honor
Joe Epperson
Incident
Joe Epperson, prison guard at the convict coal camp in Alto in Cherokee County, was seized by three convicts, disarmed and killed by a convict named James Roach. Roach had snatched the pistol away from another guard. After the killing Roach and another convict named Spears, both from Parker County, and a convict named Ellis Bybee, from San Saba County, made their escape with horses and weapons. A posse quickly apprehended Spears and Bybee in Leon County. The Texas Prison Museum reported that Roach and Bybee were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. Roach and Bybee were pardoned on December 25, 1902 by outgoing Governor Joseph Sayles. The disposition of Spears case is unknown at this time.
Virtually nothing is known about Epperson. One newspaper article reported he was from Henderson County. His place of burial is unknown.
Condolences to his family
Carson loveless April 29th, 2024
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BO-US-TX-4F2966EB- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
137 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Guard Epperson served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Guard Joe Epperson 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 Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, 31 of 124 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joe Epperson's cause is highlighted.
How Joe Epperson Compares
Offender Outcome
pardoned
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joe Epperson is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joe Epperson was killed by officer's handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
123 officers from Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
