Tobin Craig Thomas, a 31-year-old white male, was a police officer in Eagle Lake, Texas. On June 18, 1998, he was investigating the scene of a murder when he was ambushed and shot by the suspect. Officer Thomas was wearing a bulletproof vest, which stopped several pellets, but two pellets managed to pass between his vest and belt, striking his spine and an artery, causing fatal internal bleeding.
Despite his injuries, Officer Thomas was able to return fire and kill the suspect.
The suspect, identified as 64-year-old Woodrow Wilson Jr., was hiding in tall weeds near the scene of the initial murder. Wilson had previously shot and killed his girlfriend, 27-year-old Betty Lou Holloway, with a handgun. Officer Thomas and another officer, Sgt. Bill Lattimore, responded to the scene after a local resident reported that a man had confessed to shooting someone. Upon arrival, Officer Thomas was ambushed by Wilson, who shot him in the back with a shotgun.
Officer Thomas had served with the Eagle Lake Police Department for approximately two years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, mother, father, brother, and sister. His death was a significant loss to the community and his family, who remembered him as a dedicated officer who had worked hard to achieve his dream of becoming a policeman.
The incident led to an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the ambush and the initial murder of Betty Lou Holloway. The investigation confirmed that Wilson had killed Holloway before ambushing Officer Thomas. The case was closed with the death of Wilson, and no further arrests or litigations were reported in connection with the incident.
