Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable John Pivoda was shot and killed while filling in for the Schulenburg city marshal, who was out of town.
Constable Pivoda had received a writ from Caldwell County to arrest an unnamed man. He went to the freight depot to look for the wanted man, and from the suspicious sounds emanating from a box car he knew that several men were inside gambling.
He walked up to the car and, putting his head inside, asked who was there. Someone replied "Who are you?" and an instant later a shot was fired. The round struck Constable Pivoda about three inches below the left nipple, ranging downward, inflicting a fatal wound. The constable managed to fire one shot, and then fell.
He was taken home and given medical attention, but died on August 31st, 1894. In his dying statement he named his killer. In February 1895 the Fayette County sheriff obtained extradition papers on the subject who was reported hiding in Mexico. It is unknown if the man was ever arrested and tried for the murder of Constable Pivoda.
The Texas State Election Records report John Pivoda was elected the constable for Precinct 8 in Fayette County on November 8th, 1892, and was bonded on December 5th, 1894. He had served about one year and nine months.
Rest in peace always knowing that no passage of time will ever erase your service and sacrifice.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) August 31st, 2020
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- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Pivoda gave the Fayette County Constable's Office 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Schulenburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable John Pivoda 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Pivoda's cause is highlighted.
How John Pivoda Compares
Offender Outcome
Escaped
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Pivoda is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Pivoda was killed by handgun.