Killing of Howard Wilpitz in Texas in 1942

Incident

Case summary

Howard Wilpitz, age 32, a rice field worker who was about to be inducted into the army, was killed in 1942 by a mob of thirty men in Brookshire, Waller County, Texas. Wilpitz was out celebrating his induction into the military when Constable Fritz Abel and H. Cooper, a night watchman, ordered him to leave town. A struggle ensued, during which Wilpitz was shot in the leg and managed to shoot a gun out of the hand of one of the officers. Wilpitz ran for cover, but the officers assembled a mob, which riddled Wilpitz’s body with bullets.

Victim(s):

Howard Wilpitz


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Fritz Abel

Hope Cooper

Carl Cooper

Earl Cooper

N. D. Cooper

Edward H. Wilpitz

William Arthur Wilson

Perpetrator group type: mob, police

Date of incident: 1942-02-21
Location: Brookshire, Waller County, Texas
Location type: private space - other
Allegation against victim: arguing; exhibiting drunkenness

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: yes
Finding of no legal responsibility: yes

Criminal process
Arrest: [ ]
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: yes
Trial: [ ]
Conviction: [ ]
Sentence: [ ]

FBI case ID:

Houston 44-12

DOJ case ID:

144-74-5


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
death certificates - closed
federal agency records
news articles - closed
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