Sheriff Waldo A. Williams

Waldo A. Williams

Sheriff Waldo Williams and Chief of Police Irvin Gossett, of the Duncan City Police Department, were shot and killed when they and several other officers attempted to stop a vehicle wanted for a local service station robbery.

At 10:30 p.m., Sheriff Williams and Chief Gossett stopped the vehicle on Highway 81, about 2 1/2 miles south of the Marlow Junction and six miles north of Duncan. The occupants, four brothers ages 19 to 27, exited the vehicle and opened fire. Sheriff Williams was killed at the scene, and Chief Gossett succumbed to his wounds five months later.

One of the suspects was shot and killed at the scene, and two others were wounded, one critically. The fourth suspect was apprehended in Gunnison, Colorado, a few days later. It was discovered that during the past year, all four had committed several bank robberies in Oklahoma and Kansas.

All three were convicted of Sheriff Williams' murder and sentenced to life. One died in prison in 1932. The one who was critically wounded was paralyzed for life and paroled soon afterwards. He and his parents were killed in an automobile crash near Goodlett, Texas, in 1948. The fourth suspect took part in a riot and prison escape on May 13, 1936, in which Prison Guard Charles Powell was killed. He was paroled on May 3, 1949, only to be sent back ten months later for armed robbery.

Sheriff Williams had served with the Stephens County Sheriff's Office for three years. He was survived by his wife and two children.