Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Willis Champion was shot and killed as two prisoners, one of them a convicted cop-killer, attempted to escape from the jail at 8:00 p.m. The two prisoners smuggled in two pistols and ammunition. When Deputy Champion approached them, they beat him and shot him in the back and knee. A jail orderly had come up the elevator, and when the men threatened to shoot him if he did not help, he quickly went back down the elevator and summoned reinforcements. Responding officers engaged in a shootout, killing one of the prisoners who was awaiting a death sentence. Deputy Champion succumbed to his to his injuries at Baylor Hospital. The other prisoner was executed. He was serving 40 years for killing Deputy Thomas Woods on December 21, 1922. Deputy Champion had served in law enforcement for 16 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, and grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-9AD7949E- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Champion gave the Dallas County Sheriff's Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Dallas community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Champion.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Willis Glover Champion 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 Dallas County Sheriff's Department, 14 of 20 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Willis Glover Champion's cause is highlighted.
How Willis Glover Champion Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Willis Glover Champion is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Willis Glover Champion was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
19 officers from Dallas County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
