Sheriff Charles Stephens

Charles Stephens

Sheriff Charles Stephens was shot and killed as he and two other officers attempted to arrest a man wanted for murdering Officer T.A. Tedford, of the Dallas Police Department, four days earlier.

The suspect had fled to his mother-in-law's home in Clarksville, where he had previously lived, after murdering Officer Tedford. When Sheriff Stephens learned of his location he went to the residence at approximately 10:00 pm, accompanied by the city marshal and a county constable. As the three approached the home they encountered several people sitting on the front porch. They split up as they walked towards the house. As they told the people on the porch to not move the man who had murdered Officer Tedford opened fire, striking Sheriff Stephens in the chest three times.

Sheriff Stephens and the other officers returned fire, fatally wounding one of the people on the porch. Sheriff Stephens then collapsed and died. A civilian was also fatally shot during the shootout.

The subject escaped into the river bottoms, but was located five days later by a posse. He was shot and killed when he resisted the posse's attempt to arrest him.

At the time of his death Sheriff Stephens had been married for only six months. They are both buried in the Old Shamrock Cemetery, rural Red River County, Texas