Roll of Honor
Incident
A man walked into the Risenberg’s saloon in Bells and demanded the crowd “shell out.” Jim Isbell was the bartender and city marshal. Isbell placed the money on the billard table and the stranger took it. The robber ordered a man to take all of the patron’s money. As the robber’s attention was diverted, Isbell grabbed his pistol and fired one time. The robber calmly fired one round from his .45 caliber pistol, the bullet striking Isbell in the face and exiting his neck. A bystander grabbed the robber and the crowd joined in disarming him. The crowd considered lynching him but decided to place him under guard. The robber identified himself as George Smith. He admitted he bought the pistol the day before and was a farmer in Grayson County.
City Marshal Isbell succumbed to his wound on January 17, 1891.
George Smith was convicted of murder and hanged in Sherman by the Grayson County Sheriff on July 7, 1892.
Your heroism and service is honored today, the 121rst anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.
Your memory will always be honored and revered for time never diminishes respect.
Rest In Peace
Phyllis Loya Mom of fallen California Officer Larry Lasater, Pittsburg PD, eow 4/24/05 January 17th, 2012
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- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
135 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
City Marshal Isbell served with the Bells Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bells community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
City Marshal James Isbell 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. James Isbell's cause is highlighted.
How James Isbell Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1892
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Isbell is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Isbell was killed by gun; unknown type.