Green Wesley Rye

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Plano Police Department

Offense Location:

Plano, Texas

Summary:

Deputy City Marshal Green Wesley Rye was a sworn officer working as a night watchman patrolling the City of Plano , TX in the early morning hours of February 28, 1920. After interrupting a bank burglary, Deputy Rye engaged in a gunfight with the suspects and died from a gunshot wound. Deputy Rye had served as a night watchman for 18 months. No one has been charged with his murder, although a person of interest was developed.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

On February 28, 1920, at about 04:45 a.m., Deputy Green W. Rye was finishing his rounds when he interrupted a burglary at the Plano National Bank, now known as the A.R. Schell Insurance Building. The unknown suspect used .45 slugs to shoot at Deputy Rye, striking him in the abdomen and spine. Despite his severe injuries, Deputy Rye staggered about 20 feet and was able to shoot five rounds at his assailants. They climbed a fence at the rear of the bank and escaped. It is unknown whether Deputy Rye hit any of the suspects, but blood was discovered on the fence adjacent to a bullet hole from Deputy Rye's pistol. Captain Charles Gunning, Chief of Detectives with the Dallas Police, and Sheriff Ed Blakeman of Collin County were called to investigate. Sheriff Blakeman organized a posse, but they could not locate the suspects. Rye's wife, Minnie, and their 10-year-old daughter were summoned to the house that Rye had been carried to but arrived too late. Deputy Rye's last words were, "My poor wife, my poor children." Deputy Rye died without being able to describe his attackers or speak to his family. In March of 1921, a career criminal, Alfred Gonia, was arrested in Durant, Oklahoma during the burglary of a boxcar. Gonia had earlier escaped from a Columbus, Kansas jail where he had been incarcerated for the burglary of a jewelry store. Gonia claimed to the newspapers and everyone else who would listen that he had information about the killing of Rye. Captain Gunning and Sheriff Blakeman went to Durant to interview Gonia. Gonia claimed to have been a lookout during the burglary and shot one time in an attempt to scare Rye. Gonia maintained that he did not fire the fatal shot. Gonia attempted suicide in the jail after the last meeting with Sheriff Blackman and Captain Gunning. Gonia was sentenced to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary for four years for the offense of burglary and escaped about six months later. He was recaptured in 1927 while serving time in the Wisconsin State Penitentiary under an alias. Gonia was then sent back to the Oklahoma Penitentiary to finish his sentence. Gonia was then transferred to the Kansas State Penitentiary to serve five years for the burglary of the jewelry store in Columbus, Kansas. Gonia was released in 1935. Gonia was never charged in Rye’s murder.

Additional Details:

Investigators discovered that Plano National Bank had been burglarized by a group of at least four people who had chiseled into the vault, stealing approximately $10,000 in WWI Victory bonds. Deputy Rye was one of just two lawmen in Plano, then a small town. The second officer resigned within a year of Deputy Rye's death. Deputy Rye’s widow and children left Plano immediately after his death, burying him in San Saba, Texas, where they remained. Deputy Rye's story went largely untold for many decades until it caught the eye of Plano Police Department Detective Luke Grant in 2004. Having long thought that Plano police officers had not lost anyone in the line of duty, Detective Grant learned that Deputy Rye was a sworn officer with a badge, gun and full arrest powers. After continuing his research, Detective Grant was able to locate family members of Deputy Rye who still had his police badge and his 1889 Colt revolver caliber .41 (made in 1892) which are now on display at the Plano Police Department. Detective Grant also found out that the title “Night Watchman” was what the Deputy City Marshal was called because he worked the night shift. Rye was a peace officer with powers of arrest and a true hero to the City of Plano.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 07, 2024