Roll of Honor
Incident
On Saturday, September 8, 1877, Deputy Sheriff Thomas Shaw and an assistant named Howell went to arrest Martin Rodriguez, alias Chequita, in Los Olmos in Brooks County on a warrant for selling stolen hides. Shaw allowed the man’s wife and two children to accompany them in a wagon. Shaw rode in the wagon with the prisoner and his family and tied his horse to the back of the wagon. During the trip Shaw sent Howell to get some horses. The party stopped in Banquette in Nueces County on or about Monday, September 10, 1877. The wife later told Sheriff Thomas Beynon that a group of armed men appeared and stabbed Deputy Shaw to death. The evidence was reported to have pointed to the arrested man who was charged with murder. There was a trial but no record of whether Rodriguez was convicted of the murder.
Deputy Thomas Shaw was about 25 years of age and it is unknown if he was married or had any children. His place of burial is unknown at this time.
No passage of time will ever erase your service and sacrifice.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) September 10th, 2020
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BO-US-TX-6ADAE13F- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
149 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Shaw served with the Nueces County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Corpus Christi community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Shaw is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Nueces County Sheriff's Office, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Shaw's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Shaw Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Shaw is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Thomas Shaw was killed by edged weapon.
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Nueces County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
