Donald E. Knowlton

Harris County Sheriff's Office — Houston, TX

Felonious

End of Watch August 22, 1960

Age 31

The Vigil Panel 95 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 55

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Donald Knowlton was shot and killed after he and other deputies responded to a call involving an elderly man who was shooting at homes. When the officers arrived they located the man's footprints and followed them to a nearby outhouse in a field behind his home at 4022 Darwin Road. The suspect opened fire with a shotgun from inside the outhouse, striking Deputy Knowlton in the throat and chest. Deputy Knowlton was able to return fire and wounded the suspect, who was taken into custody. The 82-year-old suspect was found to be incoherent. He died in a Houston nursing home on September 8, 1963.

Survivors

Deputy Knowlton was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-CF83E9C7
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 Knowlton served with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Knowlton.

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

Agency

Department Harris County Sheriff's Office

Location Houston, TX

Platform Identity hcso.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 22, 1960

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Shot and wounded

Deputy Sheriff Donald E. Knowlton 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 Harris County Sheriff's Office, 23 of 56 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.1% of this agency's fallen.

Harris County Sheriff's Office

of 56 officers

41.1% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious