John R. Hinson
Agency patch
Correction Officer

John R. Hinson

Felonious
End of Watch November 3, 1932
Age 62
The Vigil Panel 65 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Correction Officer John Hinson succumbed to wounds sustained from three prisoners escaping the Eastham State prison farm, correctly renamed the Wainwright Unit, at 2665 Prison Road 1 in Lovelady.

Officer Hinton was struck in the head with a pitchfork and knocked from his horse by three convicts, and his shotgun and pistol were taken. Hinson was beaten with the pitchfork handle once he was on the ground. The prisoners escaped while the remainder of the work detail carried Hinson to the hospital.

A posse with bloodhounds cornered one escapee. When he refused to surrender, he was shot to death by guards, who thought he was still armed with Hinson’s gun. The posse caught the other two convicts near Madisonville Sunday after an all-night hunt. Hinson’s pistol and shotgun were recovered on the convicts.

Hinson died at a Huntsville hospital on Thursday, November 3, 1932. The two escapees confessed to the beating death of Officer Hinson. No further information as to the sentences they received.

Correctional Officer was survived by his wife and at least two children.

Hinson died at a Huntsville hospital on Thursday, November 3, 1932.

The two escapees confessed to the beating death of Officer Hinson. No further information as to the sentences they received.

Survivors

Correctional Officer was survived by his wife and at least two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-5AFC87B9
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Correction Officer Hinson served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correction Officer Hinson.

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

Agency

Location Huntsville, TX
Platform Identity tdcjcidcorr.walker.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 3, 1932
Age 62
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Assault
Weapon Blunt object
Offender one killed and two captured

Correction Officer John R. Hinson 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.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division
31
of 124 officers
25% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,463
of 2,421 officers
60.4% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John R. Hinson's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How John R. Hinson Compares

Age at End of Watch
62
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

one killed and two captured

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John R. Hinson is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John R. Hinson was killed by blunt object.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location