George T. Preston
Agency patch
Guard

George T. Preston

Felonious
End of Watch June 20, 1944
Age 56
The Vigil Panel 80 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Guard Preston was shot and killed as four inmates escaped from the Wynne Prison Farm near Madisonville, Texas. The prisoners had somehow obtained a key to the prison arsenal. The entered the arsenal and armed themselves. One of the prisoners then shot Guard Preston as he sat in a guard cage. The prisoners then took over the main prison building, took control of the remaining employees, and then stole the warden's car.

All of the inmates were recaptured. The 42-year-old inmate who shot Guard Preston was sentenced to death but later had his sentence commuted to life. He died in prison of a heart attack on December 12, 1948.

Rest in peace Mr Preston

Carson loveless January 31st, 2024

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-B13C96B9
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.
Guard Preston served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Guard Preston.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Huntsville, TX
Platform Identity tdcjcidcorr.walker.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1944
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Died in prison

Guard George T. Preston 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 Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, 31 of 124 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division
31
of 124 officers
25% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,463
of 2,421 officers
60.4% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George T. Preston's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How George T. Preston Compares

Age at End of Watch
56
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Died in prison

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George T. Preston is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George T. Preston was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518