William Don Reese, a 32-year-old male deputy sheriff with the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, tragically lost his life on February 15, 1971. Reese, along with Deputy Samuel Infante and Deputy Arthur Robertson of the Ellis County Sheriff's Department, was shot and killed after being abducted by two men while conducting a burglary investigation. This incident became known as the "Trinity River Massacre".
The three deputies were backing up Deputy Robertson at the home of one of the
burglary suspects when they were abducted and taken to the Trinity River. There, they were shot execution-style. Another Ellis County deputy managed to escape and call for help, while a fifth deputy was shot in the chest but survived. The suspects, 24-year-old Rene Adolpho Guzman and 33-year-old Leonardo Ramos Lopez, were apprehended four days later after an intensive search.
Guzman and Lopez were tried, found guilty, and initially sentenced to death. However, following issues in the court case and the death penalty being declared unconstitutional, they were given a retrial and both received four life sentences. Lopez was paroled in 1991 but was incarcerated again for a separate case. Guzman died in prison on August 6, 2017, and Lopez died in prison on August 21, 2021.
The tragic deaths of Reese, Infante, and Robertson had widespread repercussions in Dallas, leading to changes in the parole process for those convicted of capital murder. The case also highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and the impact of drug addiction on criminal behavior.
Reese's funeral services were held at the First Baptist Church of Rockwall, and he was buried at Rockwall Memorial Cemetery. He is remembered for his dedication and sacrifice in the line of duty.
