Guard Deb Edward Long

Deb Edward Long

Around 1:00 a.m. sixteen convicts at the Eastham State Prison in Lovelady, Houston County, Texas, escaped by cutting through a wall of the wooden building in which they were locked up for the night, using a pocket knife. During the escape Guard Deb Long was accidentally shot and killed by Guard Tom Bozeman who mistook the guard for one of the convicts in the woods where they had surrounded the escapees. Long was wearing long white trousers, similar to those issued to prisoners. By 4:00 p.m. all sixteen convicts had been captured and returned to the prison.

Deb Long was 26 years old. He was buried in the Salem Cemetery in Weldon, Houston County, Texas.