U.S. Army · United States 
Wilbur Edwards
1953
Wilbur Frank Edwards served the U.S. Army.
How He Died
Manner
Homicide
Cause
Gunshot wound
Mechanism
Firearm
What Happened
Chief of Police Wilbur Edwards was shot and killed by a subject without provocation.
He was visiting with merchants, asking them to leave their lights on at night for better protection. As he stood in the driveway of a service station he was approached by the owner and shot twice in the head and then twice in the body with a .22-caliber pistol. The subject was arrested and charged with his murder.
The 62-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1925 he was sentenced to 20 years for a murder conviction in DeQueen, Arkansas, but received a full pardon without having to serve any time.
Chief Edwards was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII. He had served with the United States Border Patrol, Brownsville Police Department and Corpus Christi Police Department before becoming the chief of the Taft Police Department.
He was visiting with merchants, asking them to leave their lights on at night for better protection. As he stood in the driveway of a service station he was approached by the owner and shot twice in the head and then twice in the body with a .22-caliber pistol. The subject was arrested and charged with his murder.
The 62-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1925 he was sentenced to 20 years for a murder conviction in DeQueen, Arkansas, but received a full pardon without having to serve any time.
Chief Edwards was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII. He had served with the United States Border Patrol, Brownsville Police Department and Corpus Christi Police Department before becoming the chief of the Taft Police Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and son.
Service Record
U.S. Army
Also Served
Taft Police Department
Police Chief
In Our Keeping
Permanent identifier
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Record added
August 2, 2026
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Last updated
August 2, 2026
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