Texas honors two troopers killed by Bonnie and Clyde in 1934 with marine vessels, aiming to shift focus from the infamous criminals to the officers’ service
DALLAS — The sound of the national anthem filled the air as a color guard stood at attention, honoring two Texas Department of Public Safety troopers whose lives — and legacy — were cut short more than 90 years ago.
On Wednesday, state leaders formally dedicated two tactical marine vessels to Troopers H.D. Murphy and E.B. Wheeler, who were shot and killed in 1934 by the notorious criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde.
Officials say it marks the first time the troopers have been formally honored by the Texas Department of Public Safety since their deaths.
“This vessel we dedicate today… it’s a living tribute that will carry the legacy of our troopers who gave their lives while wearing the badge we still wear today,” said DPS Regional Chief Jeremy Sharrod during the ceremony.
Sharrod acknowledged that for decades, the story of Murphy and Wheeler was overshadowed by the notoriety of the criminals who killed them.
“For far too long, the story surrounding their deaths has been overshadowed,” he said. “The names of those who took their lives have been romanticized, dramatized and distorted by time and popular culture — but today that changes.”
The vessels, officials said, are meant to permanently shift that narrative — from violence to service.
“Every time it cuts through those waters, it will carry their names, their service and their story into the future,” Sharrod said. “It will serve as a reminder that real heroism is not found in glamor, but duty.”
For Leonard Murphy, the tribute is deeply personal.
The 92-year-old is the nephew of Trooper H.D. Murphy — Hollaway Daniel Murphy — and brought with him decades-old newspaper clippings and family photographs, offering a glimpse into the life behind the badge.
His uncle, he said, was just 12 days away from getting married when he was killed.
“He says, ‘I’ve always been unlucky, so maybe this will change my luck,’” Leonard Murphy recalled. “Unfortunately, it didn’t.”
The loss devastated the family. Murphy said his uncle’s fiancée, Marie Tulles, wore her wedding dress to his funeral.
“I can’t believe anyone would go through all that without shedding any tears,” he said, becoming emotional.
Investigators say Murphy and Wheeler were killed while doing what troopers continue to do today — helping someone in need.
“They had turned around to conduct what we call now a motorist assist… help a citizen in need,” Sharrod said. “Unfortunately, they were met by those two individuals and they were shot and killed.”
According to officials, the troopers believed they were assisting a stranded motorist. Instead, they encountered Bonnie and Clyde, who opened fire, killing both men.
“They turned around to what they thought was someone stranded on the side of the road that needed help,” Sharrod said. “Once they turned their motorcycles around, they were met by fire… and that’s when they were both killed.”
The killings were part of a violent spree that claimed multiple lives.
“They killed 12 other people before they killed my uncle and Officer Wheeler,” Leonard Murphy said. “It was unbelievable how romanticized their brutality was shown.”
He added that there was some sense of justice when a Texas Ranger eventually tracked down the pair in Louisiana.
“They got their just Texas reward,” he said.
For officials and family members alike, Wednesday’s ceremony was about reclaiming a story long dominated by the criminals — and returning it to the men who died in service.
After decades of being defined by violence, they say, the story of Murphy and Wheeler is finally being defined by heroism.