End of Watch May 10, 1935
Age 57
The Vigil Panel 69 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Guard Virgil Welch was shot and killed during an escape from the Eastham Prison Farm.

Four prisoners made good on the escape. A large posse was sent after them, and two of the prisoners were ultimately shot and killed. The other two were recaptured.

Guard Welch was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Guard Welch was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Guard Welch 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 Welch.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Huntsville, Walker County, TX
Platform Identity tdcjcidcorr.walker.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 10, 1935
Age 57
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Virgil is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1935, 154 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 25th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Virgil was 57. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

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

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division has at least 120 officers remembered here, Virgil among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Guard Virgil Welch

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division · End of Watch May 10, 1935

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 40-W

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