James Ralph Turner was a 29-year-old patrolman with the Port Isabel Police Department when he was killed on May 22, 1978, in Port Isabel, Texas. He and a partner responded to a disturbance involving a drunk man who had shot out a window in his home. Turner and his partner called out to the suspect, and the suspect shot Turner in the chest with a .22 caliber rifle. The suspect kept Turner’s partner at bay, preventing assistance, until other officers arrived and the suspect surrendered.

Turner had served with the department for eight months. He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, stepson, parents, and two siblings. The suspect was initially convicted of murder and given a life sentence, but at a second trial the suspect was acquitted. Turner’s death was deeply felt by his family and the Port Isabel community.