Our Fallen

Marshal Burks succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day. He was shot by a store owner after he responded to a prowler call. The officer and a night watchman had arrested three people at the scene. The night watchman took two of the suspects and Marshal Burks took the third suspect. As the marshal placed the suspect in his vehicle, the store owner, who believed Marshal Burks was one of the prowlers, opened fire with a shotgun.

Marshal Burks had served with the McKinney Police Department for 11 years. He was survived by his wife and three children.

Officer Taylor was shot and killed after stopping a taxi cab whose driver was waving him down. The taxi driver had been abducted at gunpoint in Dallas and was being forced to drive to Denison. When Officer Taylor stopped the taxi the suspect shot him six times. The man was convicted and executed in the electric chair on March 18, 1940.

Officer Taylor had served with the agency for 10 years. He was survived by his wife.

Patrolman Burk was shot and killed when he and another officer responded to a domestic disturbance. While on the scene they arrested one suspect and as they were walking him to the patrol car a second suspect opened fire on them with a .22 caliber rifle.

Patrolman Burk was shot in the stomach and fatally wounded. His partner, who was also wounded, was able to return fire and shoot the suspect. The man was convicted but later released from prison. Patrolman Burk had been with the agency for 18 months.

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

Sergeant David Waldschmidt, age 56, of McKinney, Texas passed away March 14, 2011 of a heart attack. He was born July 26, 1954 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Herbert Waldschmidt and Mary Ann (Pierce) Waldschmidt.

On October 18, 1986 he married Carol Gracy in McKinney, Texas. David was a police officer with the McKinney Police Department. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchild. At the time of his passing, he was still employed at McKinney PD as a CID Supervisor.

Police Officer John Libby died from injuries sustained in an off duty motorcycle accident on Custer Road in Frisco, Texas. John and his family relocated from New Jersey in 2007. Since then, he has honorably served the citizens of McKinney for nearly six faithful years.

John’s commitment to his family, community and fellow officers will be deeply missed. Officer Libby was up for promotion and was awarded his Corporal stripes and badge after his passing. A shadowbox with his stripes and badge was presented to his family after the 2013 Awards Picnic in April 2014.

Sergeant John Chilton, former Police Officer for the City of McKinney, died unexpectedly on Friday, December 2, 2011.

Debra Leigh Stansell, age 40, of McKinney, Texas passed away January 31, 2012. She was born February 27, 1971 in Dallas, Texas to Edgar Eugene Nicholson and Gladys Haroldine (Adair) Nicholson. On February 2, 1999 Debra married Derek Stansell in Plano, Texas. She grew up in Plano, Texas and graduated from Plano West High School in 1989.

Debra worked as a dispatcher for the McKinney Police Department, as a police officer for the Lewisville and Frisco Police Departments. She is survived by her husband, Derek Stansell of McKinney, Texas; children, Eryca Noelle Dox, Emily Morgan Dox, Troy Scott Stansell and Robert Ty Stansell.