Daryl Wayne Shirley
Agency patch
Detective

Daryl Wayne Shirley

Houston Police Department — Houston, TX
Felonious
End of Watch April 28, 1982
Age 34
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Badge 638
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Daryl Shirley was shot and killed as he struggled with a suspect while attempting to serve an arrest warrant at 2929 Rolido Drive. Detective Shirley went to an apartment complex where the suspect was believed to have been. When he arrived, he sat by the pool to wait for the suspect to emerge. When the man came out he spotted the detective and re-entered his apartment to arm himself with a .38 caliber Derringer. Detective Shirley attempted to make an arrest and a struggle ensued. Detective Shirley instructed a passerby to call the police for backup. As the citizen was doing so he heard two shots. When other officers arrived they located Detective Shirley's hat, badge, and glasses on the scene. His body was later found hidden under a canopy in a parking garage. The suspect, 23, was apprehended two days later after being turned in by a friend. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, however, the sentence was overturned and he was then sentenced to life in prison as part of a plea deal. His first parole hearing will be on December 19, 2038.

Survivors

Detective Shirley is survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, and his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnb5ec4hga8ptd5dzbsj
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Daryl. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Shirley gave the Houston Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Shirley.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Houston, Harris County, TX
Platform Identity hpd.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 28, 1982
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 34
Badge Number 638
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Daryl is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1982, 122 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 42nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Daryl was 34. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Daryl had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Houston Police Department has 117 officers remembered here, Daryl among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Daryl Wayne Shirley

Houston Police Department · End of Watch April 28, 1982

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 27-W

↑