On This Day in Houston - Fallen Heros
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 11:07 am
April 28, 1982:
Houston Police Officer Daryl Wayne Shirley, Badge 638 and a fifteen year veteran was shot and killed in the line of duty while arresting a fugitve. In an article just a year prior in the Houston Chronicle, Wayne was described as "a one man fugitive squad" and "a whirlwind" by his collegues.
While waiting for the fugitive to emerge from an apartment Wayne was spotted by the individual who went back to retrieve his .38 caliber pistol. Wayne identified himself as a police officer and during a struggle with the fugitive requested a passerby to call HPD for assistance. The passerby later heard two gunshots. Wayne's body was found under a canopy in the parking garage. His killer Arthur Lee Williams, Jr was captured the following day. Wayne's judge, jury and executioner left a wife, daughter and two sons to grieve their loss. Wayne's two sons both entered Law Enforcement; one is policeman in Los Angeles, CA and the other is a Detective in Pasadena, TX.
At the age of 34 Wayne's life was ended and Justice was set to soon end the life of his 22 year old cold blooded killer. Fate and Justice, however, move much slower for cold blooded killers than it does for their victims and Arthur Lee Williams' Judge and Jury would have to wait on the Executioner.
Arthur Lee Williams, Jr sentenced to death on February 28, 1983 is the longest surving inmate on Death Row in the history of Texas. He is assured many more years of survival as he begins a second round of appeals. Arthur Lee Williams, Jr has a website. Wayne has headstone.
Houston Police Officer Daryl Wayne Shirley, Badge 638 and a fifteen year veteran was shot and killed in the line of duty while arresting a fugitve. In an article just a year prior in the Houston Chronicle, Wayne was described as "a one man fugitive squad" and "a whirlwind" by his collegues.
While waiting for the fugitive to emerge from an apartment Wayne was spotted by the individual who went back to retrieve his .38 caliber pistol. Wayne identified himself as a police officer and during a struggle with the fugitive requested a passerby to call HPD for assistance. The passerby later heard two gunshots. Wayne's body was found under a canopy in the parking garage. His killer Arthur Lee Williams, Jr was captured the following day. Wayne's judge, jury and executioner left a wife, daughter and two sons to grieve their loss. Wayne's two sons both entered Law Enforcement; one is policeman in Los Angeles, CA and the other is a Detective in Pasadena, TX.
At the age of 34 Wayne's life was ended and Justice was set to soon end the life of his 22 year old cold blooded killer. Fate and Justice, however, move much slower for cold blooded killers than it does for their victims and Arthur Lee Williams' Judge and Jury would have to wait on the Executioner.
Arthur Lee Williams, Jr sentenced to death on February 28, 1983 is the longest surving inmate on Death Row in the history of Texas. He is assured many more years of survival as he begins a second round of appeals. Arthur Lee Williams, Jr has a website. Wayne has headstone.