Slain Houston Police Officer Jeffrey Remembered As 'Great Man'

HOUSTON, TX — Houston Police Department officer William "Bill" Jeffrey was shot and killed while trying to serve an arrest warrant Monday, and many Houstonians are remembering him not only for his service, but for his warm personality and love of family and friends.

Jeffrey, 54, was an HPD officer for just shy of 31 years. He and his wife Suzanne, who retired from HPD in December, were building their dream home, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at a news conference Monday.

"Most of us know him personally. I've known him my entire career," Finner said in the news conference. "He's a great man, and a great family man."

Live in Houston? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone.

Jeffrey and Sgt. Michael Vance, who also was shot in the incident, were transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Vance is in stable condition.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Finner talked and prayed with Jeffrey's family at the hospital.

"The city of Houston lost its very best," Turner said Suzanne Jeffrey told him. "I wanted to echo that because she was very emphatic about that."

Jeffrey's daughter, Lacie Jeffrey, echoed that sentiment in an interview with KHOU 11.

"My dad always thought he was Superman," Lacie Jeffrey told the television station. "He wanted nothing more than to keep this city safe, and that was his number one goal, and today he died doing what he loved doing the most."

One Facebook user remembered Jeffrey from his participation on the Houston Gunners, a former semipro football team made up of public safety personnel.

"He was a great guy and a really good football player," the Facebook user said. "This is a terrible loss. Houston Gunner Proud."

Another Facebook user remembered his kind demeanor that always seemed to cheer people up.

"He was always such a sweet kind person with a smile to light up a room," they said. "He will not be forgotten. He was loved by so many."