1978

June 8, 1978
Gunfire @6800 Harrisburg

DOB – 11/8/1949, Age 28
Badge – 1678
Class #67
Final Resting Place –    Corinth Cemetery, Buckholts, TX

On Thursday, June 8, 1978 Officers Tim A. Hearn and M.K. Jordan, who were both assigned to the Narcotics Division, were involved in a shooting that took the life of Officer Hearn and wounded Officer Jordan.
Officers Hearn and Jordan had been working together and received some information on a narcotics suspect, Rudy Esquiel. Their investigation had taken them to the 6800 block of Harrisburg and a Sears's parking lot. From this vantage point the Sears parking lot they kept their surveillance activity inside the Early Roberts Restaurant. At approximately 3:00 a.m. the suspect and two females came out of the restaurant. Officers Hearn and Jordan left their vantage point and proceeded across the street to the restaurant. Upon their arrival they encountered the suspects and placed all three under arrest. A large crowd began to gather and the suspects were taken to the parking lot to be searched and taken to Central for further investigation. The suspect, Rudy Esquiel, banished a .38 caliber revolver and started shooting, hitting both Hearn and Jordan. Officer Hearn fell to the ground and Officer Jordan, though wounded, notified the dispatcher, "shots fired, officer down, assist the officer.

Officer Tim Hearn was flown by Hermann Hospital Life Flight Helicopter to Hermann Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. At 5:20 a.m. on June 8, 1978 Officer Tim Hearn passed away as a result of the gunshot wounds he received.
The suspect was charged with Capital Murder, Attempted Capital Murder and Possession of Heroin. On August 18, 1978 in 180th District Court, Judge Fred Hooey passed judgement and sentenced the suspect to death by injection.
Officer Tim Hearn was well thought of throughout the Department and since his death each year the "Tim Hearn Memorial Softball Tournament" is held in his honor. Though he is gone his memory shall remain, for in addition to the tournament a softball diamond, originally called Jackson Hill, was named "Tim Hearn Field."

Officer T.L. Hearn is survived by his wife, Jenny Hearn; son Torrance Hearn; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Hearn and sister, Sayra Hesselsweet.

Source – Houston Police Department Museum Files