Slain deputy returns home

Some 2,000 people are expected to be on hand here Monday afternoon at a memorial service for sheriff’s deputy Samuel Leonard.

Leonard, who grew up here and was working as a deputy here just three weeks ago before taking a similar job with the Eden County Sheriff’s Department, was one of two officers killed by gunfire while on duty in Eden Monday evening.

A memorial services for Leonard, age 26, will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Lamesa.

Services for the other officer killed, Deputy Sgt. Stephen Jones, are scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at PaulAnn Church in San Angelo.

Both services are expected to draw hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the entire state and elsewhere to pay tribute to their fallen comrades.

Judging from the scene outside Branon Funeral Home here Thursday afternoon, the gatherings are expected to be both emotional and filled with support for the families and loves ones of the slain officers.

More than 30 law enforcement vehicles took part in the final leg of a convoy that escorted the funeral home vehicle bringing Leonard’s remains home after his body was taken Tuesday to the coroner’s office in Lubbock.

The final two blocks of the route were lined by an estimated 250 or more people – several waving flags – who started gathering as soon as word was received that the procession had left Lubbock.

As the convoy neared the funeral home it passed beneath a huge U.S. flag draped from the Lamesa fire department’s long ladder extending over the street.

Lights flashing, four firetrucks were lined up on one side of the intersection; four ambulances on the opposite side.

A short distance away was an entire crew from the nearby Sonic Drive-in restaurant, wearing their red work uniforms as they watched in respect.

The extended ladder originally held a small U.S. flag when it was first put in place. Well before the convoy’s arrival, however, that small flag was replaced by a huge one that was brought to the scene by a local businessman.

While several family members were included as part of the convoy, others waited here either outside the funeral home or in the shade offered by First Methodist Church, located just across the street.

After an opportunity to allow family members time alone with Leonard’s remains inside the funeral home, officers gathered in two facing lines for a formal salute which was witnessed by the family as they exited the funeral home in a group. After the somber formality of that event, the emotions flowed freely.

Officers hugged the family, hugged each other, and shared hugs and sometimes tears with their spouses and other members of the extended law enforcement family.

The group of officers included not only those from Lamesa and the immediate surrounding area, but also Concho County Sheriff Chad Miller and other members of his department.

Leonard is survived by his wife, Morgan, young daughter Magnolia Rae, and numerous other family members here and elsewhere.

First Baptist Church is preparing for an overflow crowd at Monday’s memorial service, which will be officiated by Kelly Pigott.

Guests will be seated not only in large sanctuary but also in the smaller chapel and the church gymnasium, both of which will have live feeds of the ceremony.

The church also will broadcast the service online via LiveStream. That broadcast may be accessed from the church website, firstlamesa.org.

Leonard grew up in Lamesa and graduated from Klondike High School in 2013. After attending Angelo State University, he completed law enforcement training and went to work as a deputy with the Concho County Sheriff’s Office in June of 2019.

He accepted a job as a deputy with the Dawson County Sheriff’s Department and moved back to Lamesa in December of that year.

Leonard served as a deputy here up until three weeks ago. He had begun working again as a deputy in Concho County but had not moved there yet, his family still living in Lamesa as Morgan continued teaching fourth-graders at North Elementary.

Sgt. Jones, the other officer killed on Monday, leaves behind a wife, five children, parents and his siblings.

Jones had been with the Concho County Sheriff’s Office for eight years.