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Submitted: 7/1/21 • Approved: 7/1/21 • Last Updated: 7/4/21 • R432633-G0-S3
September 2, 1932-January 22, 1967
Our Father
Photo/information, courtesy of Edith Guynes Stanley
*Obituary
A 42-year-old owner of a Skellytown oil field supply company has been charged with murder with malice aforethought in the Sunday shooting of a 44-year-old independent Borger oil operator.
Gene Harlan, a Skellytown resident for 36 years, is free on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond following the shooting of Gene Thomas Hudspeth of Borger shortly before 11:30 a.m. Sunday in front of Harlan place of business in Skellytown.
Justice of the Peace W.G. Grant of Skellytown pronounced Hudspeth dead at the scene. He said a bullet, fired from a 300 magnum rifle, entered Hudspeth's body just above the heart.
District Attorney John Gilliham of Clarendon, conducting the investigation at the shooting scene Sunday afternoon, said Hudspeth had gone to Harlan's home earlier in the morning and had threatened Harlan with a pistol.
Then according to Gilliham, Harlan left his home and went to his place of business. Hudspeth followed.
Gilliham said Hudspeth parked his late model car in front of the oil field supply company, got out on the driver's side and walked around to the back of the car. Still armed with a 25-caliber pistol, Hudspeth started towards the supply company yard, when he was felled by a bullet fired from the rifle, according to Gilliham.
Hudspeth's car, parked at the scene of the shooting, was packed with wearing apparel and a few groceries.
His body was taken to the Simpson Funeral Home in Borger.
Justice of the Peace Grant said Jimmy Maxwell, a customer of Harlan's, was a witness to the shooting.
According to Gilliham, Hudspeth was convicted in October, 1966, of burglarizing Harlan's oil field supply company in December, 1965. He was out of custody on an appeal bond. Harlan had appeared against Hudspeth at the trial, according to the district attorney.
Gilliham said charges against Harlan will be presented at a grand jury hearing Feb. 13 in 100th Judicial District Court at Panhandle.
Assisting Atty. Gilliham with investigation of the Sunday shooting were Deputy Sheriff W.H. Price of Skellytown, Deputy Sheriff Preston Sargent of White Deer, Chief Deputy J.L. King of Panhandle and Sheriff John D. Nunn of Panhandle.
Funeral services for Mr. Hudspeth will be held in the Riverview Baptist Church in Borger with Rev. Virgil Jones of Floydada officiating. Interment will be in Highland Park Cemetery at Borger under the direction of Simpson Funeral Home.
(Published in Pampa Daily News (Pampa, Gray, Texas) - 23 Jan 1967, Mon - Page 1,3)
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Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000
Name: Gene Hudspeth
Death Date: 22 Jan 1967
Death County: Carson
Gender: Male
Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
Name: Gene Thomas Hudspeth
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 34
Birth Date: 2 Sep 1932
Birth Place: St Joe, Arkansas
Residence: Borger, Hutchinson, Texas, USA
Death Date: 22 Jan 1967
Death Place: Skellytown, Carson, Texas, USA
Father: G W Hudspeth
Mother: Alma Burns
Contributed on 7/1/21
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Record #: 432633