Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Joe Snow was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a horse thief. Sheriff Snow had been to the suspect’s farm the day before the incident to investigate a fire. While there he noticed a saddle and some horses that had been stolen from his farm a few days earlier. The next day Sheriff Snow returned to arrest the suspect, when the suspect killed him with a shotgun at close range. The suspect was arrested and taken to jail but before he could stand trial, an angry mob lynched him from a tree in front of the jailhouse. Sheriff Snow had been sheriff of the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and is buried in Angleton Cemetery, Angleton, Brazoria County, Texas.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-7085491B- 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.
Sheriff Snow gave the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Angleton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Snow.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Joe Hughes Snow 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 Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, 8 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joe Hughes Snow's cause is highlighted.
How Joe Hughes Snow Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched by an angry mob
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joe Hughes Snow is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joe Hughes Snow was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Brazoria County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
