Corrections Officer

Tommy Mellie Starnes

Accident
End of Watch June 11, 1931
Age 24
The Vigil Panel 62 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Corrections Officer Tommy Starnes served at the the Ferguson State Prison Farm near Midway in Madison County. He was on-duty at the state ferry which crossed the Trinity River between the prisons at Eastham and Ferguson. He went into the shack and placed his shotgun loaded with buckshot on the table. The shotgun fell off of the table and discharged. Fifteen buckshot struck Starnes, passing through his body. He died before aid could arrive from camp headquarters.

Starnes was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Starnes of Midway; three brothers, Herman, Clyde and Bud; and three sisters, all of Midway. He was buried in the Harmony Cemetery in Huntsville, Walker County.

Survivors

Starnes was survived by his parents, Mr.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtq0w22r9mx3xg15nkbnd
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 Tommy. 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.
Corrections Officer Starnes 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, Corrections Officer Starnes.

— 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 June 11, 1931
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Tommy is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1931, 100 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 6th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Tommy was 24. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36.

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

When

June holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Corrections Officer Tommy Mellie Starnes

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division · End of Watch June 11, 1931

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 47-E

↑