Constable William Franklin Haygood

William Franklin Haygood

Willacy County Precinct 2 Constable William F. Haygood, his deputy, Francisco A. Cisneros, and Jailer Jose Guzman were investigating a suspicious vehicle parked on the side of the road near a cemetery. The lawmen thought the car contained some bootleggers. As the officers slowed their vehicle to talk to the man and woman in the suspicious car, both the man and woman got out of the car and approached the officers who were still seated in their vehicle. Just as the male walked up to the officer’s vehicle, the man opened fire striking Deputy Constable Cisneros on his right wrist. As Constable Haygood exited the vehicle, he was shot in the back, killing him instantly. The gunman then turned and shot Deputy Constable Cisneros several more times, with bullets entering his left side and heart. Jailer Guzman, crouching on the floor of the car, received a bullet wound to the mouth.

After the shooting, the male fled into brush, abandoning his vehicle and his girlfriend, identified as Domlaga Bueno, age 20.

Jailer Guzman fled into Raymondville and summoned assistance. Willacy County Deputies A. I. Pytle and John Nolen arrived at the scene. The officers searched for the suspect, but it was felt that he had fled across the border to Mexico.

Willacy County Justice of the Peace J. B. Huffer, who held an inquest, stated that he found Deputy Constable Cisneros slumped in the front seat of the car, dead, his gun lying in the road with one shell exploded. Constable Haygood was lying on his back on the right side of the car, his gun still in the holster. Officers felt the shooting was in retaliation for a bootlegging arrest that Deputy Constable Cisneros had made weeks earlier.

William Franklin Haygood was elected Constable of Precinct No. 2 of Willacy County, at Raymondville, Texas on November 4, 1930, and he assumed the office on January 1, 1931. He was buried in the Raymondville City Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and six children.