Charles F. Stevens, a 61-year-old Caucasian male, was a Prohibition Officer in San Antonio, Texas. On September 25, 1929, he was ambushed and murdered by several men hiding in the woods as he and his colleagues, J.P. Murphy and Robert Hirzel, were returning to the San Antonio Office after seizing an illicit distillery about 30 miles south. During the gunfight, Agent Stevens was badly wounded and, despite being rushed to Santa Rosa Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The investigation that followed identified Lynn Stephens as one of the persons responsible for Agent Stevens' murder. Stephens remained a fugitive for 20 years before being arrested in 1949. He was later convicted and sentenced to 38 years imprisonment.
The murder of Charles F. Stevens was a retaliation for his strict enforcement against bootleggers and moonshiners. His death was a significant event in the history of law enforcement during the Prohibition era, highlighting the dangers faced by officers enforcing the ban on alcohol.
