John E. Hutcheson

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office — Beaumont, TX

Felonious

End of Watch June 28, 1925

Age 50

The Vigil Panel 49 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Hutcheson was shot and killed with his own revolver by an unruly prisoner in the county jail. The man was in jail for public drunkenness and was working off a $21 fine. At around 1000 hours, the prisoner threw a piece of metal at Deputy Hutcheson, grazing his head. The deputy reported the incident to the sheriff, who told him not to give the prisoner lunch without the assistance of the sheriff.

Deputy Hutcheson did not heed the warning and enlisted the help of two other prisoners to help serve lunch to the prisoner. As he entered the cell, the man hit him in the head with a pot and knocked him down. The prisoner then grabbed the deputy's .45 caliber service revolver and shot him in the chest. The two other prisoners immediately attacked the prisoner and during the struggle, the suspect was shot in the head and fatally wounded.

The two prisoners who assisted Deputy Hutcheson were released from prison for their heroic actions.

Deputy Hutcheson was survived by his wife and four daughters. He was buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas.

Survivors

Deputy Hutcheson was survived by his wife and four daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-55698082
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 Hutcheson served with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Beaumont community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hutcheson.

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

Agency

Department Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

Location Beaumont, TX

Platform Identity jcso.jefferson.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 28, 1925

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Shot and killed

Deputy Sheriff John E. Hutcheson 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 Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

50% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious