Roll of Honor
James Elbert Grigsby
Incident
Precinct 3 Constable Elbert Grigsby of Tatum in Rusk County went to question Angus Williams about a recent burglary in nearby Panola County. Williams and another man were standing together as Constable Grigsby approached. Williams fired one blast from a single barreled shotgun loaded with No. 4 shot that killed Constable Grigsby. Williams fled to his home. A posse of 150 men was searching for Williams, but heavy rain obliterated the trail. Williams decided he could not escape and shot himself in the head with his shotgun the next day. Williams was an ex-convict who was sentenced to 99-years in prison for killing his wife in 1923. He had been recently released on parole.
Constable Grigsby, 29, had served 9 months before being slain in the line of duty. He was married but no report of whether he had any children. His parents survived him as did numerous brothers and sisters. He was buried in the Harmony Hills Cemetery in Rusk County.
In 1937, the constable for Tatum in Rusk County was elected in Precinct 3. Today, Precinct 2 covers the Tatum area.
You served your County and your Country well, these are the people that are so Proud of you.
Jimmy E. Skinner Constable Pct 5 October 9th, 2012
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TX-E9091865- Stewardship
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- 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.
Constable Grigsby served with the Rusk County Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Mt Enterprise community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Grigsby.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable James Elbert Grigsby 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 Elbert Grigsby's cause is highlighted.
How James Elbert Grigsby Compares
Offender Outcome
committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Elbert Grigsby is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Elbert Grigsby was killed by shotgun.