Deputy Constable Ricky Steven Lewis, 22, was shot to death near his patrol car in Mission, Texas, on February 17, 1979. He had just dropped off his partner and was on his way home when he stopped an unknown individual. A struggle followed, the suspect gained control of Lewis’ duty .357 caliber handgun and used it to shoot him. Other officers found Lewis’ body lying on top of his service weapon.

Investigators never identified a motive or charged anyone in Lewis’ killing. The stolen duty weapon was later recovered in a search of a suspect’s home; that suspect was not charged in Lewis’ murder but was later convicted of two other police killings in 1981 and executed in 1993. Lewis had served two years with the Hidalgo County Constable’s Office Precinct 3 and was survived by his parents. His death remains unsolved.