FROM PAMPA, TEXAS TO THE TEXAS RANGERS
A NATIVE SON THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE A LIVING LEGEND
We are enormously proud and honored to share this Texas Ranger and his story with you. This is the story of the small town boy who through talent, tenacity, skill and courage earned his way from a Police Patrolman to become a Texas Ranger and later Director of Corporate Security for a major Texas company.
Robert K Madeira was born in Pampa, Texas on 13 July, 1941 to Charles Madeira and Helen Miller Madeira. After graduating from high school, Madeira joined the U S Army and served with the Military Police in Fountainebleau, France.
Upon honorable discharge from the Army, Madeira returned home and began his career in law enforcement. He served as a Patrolman for the Richmond, Texas Police Department and then a Deputy Sheriff, Fort Bend, County.
In 1968, Madeira joined the Texas Department of Public Safety and became a DPS Trooper having various postings throughout Texas. He eventually joined the Texas Rangers and attained the rank of Lieutenant. He served with Company A in Houston as a “Concrete Ranger” – meaning they mostly pounded the pavement instead of riding horses like the old Rangers. He served with the Texas Ranger until his retirement in 1997.
After retirement, he was contacted by a close friend to come to work for Service Corporation International as their Director of Corporate Security. He agreed to a 5-7 year job commitment which turned into 17 years. His job was to investigate and report incidences of monetary theft. The SCI offices made up a 12-story building in downtown Houston. His office was on the main floor overlooking a beautiful downtown view. He retired again in 2014 and still lives in the Houston area.
He serves on the Advisory Board for the Texas Ranger Law Enforcement Association. The TRLEA recognizes the dedication of the Texas Rangers through assistance with educational funding for the Rangers and their families, as well as other citizens of the Great State of Texas seeking a degree in Criminal Justice. TRLEA also monitors legislative issues affecting the Texas Rangers, while staying committed to its non-profit status, and is prepared to help in case of catastrophic situations affecting the Rangers or their families.
HARRIS COUNTY COLD CASE
JUSTICE DELAYED AND JUSTICE SERVED
As a Ranger he helped solve one of the oldest cold cases in Harris County history. Through a serendipitous turn of lifelong events, Ranger Madeira helped a brother and sister bring closure after twenty three years of searching for their mother. Proving that truth always surfaces, Robert helped serve up Justice delayed. Now retired and living in the Houston area, he shared this compelling story with Della Moyer during a lengthy interview. Citizens of Texas owe these Rangers a debt of Gratitude.
It was during his service for Fort Bend County that Madeira recalls one of the most intriguing cases of his career.
In January 1968, while serving as a Sheriff’s Deputy in Fort Bend County, Deputy Madeira received a report from a man who had taken his son to a local landfill for target practice and noticed some feet sticking up from the ground. A closer look revealed a dead body and he called the Sheriff’s Office. Upon arrival at the scene Madeira and his partner realized the crime scene was actually in Harris County and shortly surrendered the case to the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. The woman was not identified at that time and she was buried in a pauper’s grave. The case was cold.
A STRANGE TWIST OF FATE
Fast forward twenty three years later. In 1991, responding to his boss’s summons, he entered the office of his Captain Bobby Prince who said, “I’ve got a deal for you!” Imagine the shock of Lt. Madeira when his Captain laid out the details of one of the first cases of his law enforcement career.
The Harris County Medical Examiner had received a call from a California Chief Investigator asking if there were any cases of unidentified white females from 1968. The California CI had been contacted by a woman in San Jacinto City, CA who told him about her mother’s disappearance in Houston in January 1968. Madeira took this information to the District Attorney’s office who told them “I guess you boys are going to California”. They flew to California and interviewed the daughter and provided photos of the deceased woman who she identified as her mother. They also interviewed a “girlfriend” of the missing woman’s husband. Whereupon, Madeira reported their findings back to the Harris County DA, and included conversations about other family in Quebec who had more information.
The Harris County DA told them that it was time to go to Canada. They flew to Canada and interviewed a son of the missing woman as well as her uncle. They also found that the woman’s husband was now living in South Carolina. True to form, the Harris County DA sent them to South Carolina. When they asked “Frenchy” about the location of his wife, he stated, “I put her on an airplane to see her parents in Canada and that’s all I know”. After confronting him with the evidence gathered, they placed the man under arrest. He was then transported back to Texas for trial, convicted and sentenced to a prison term.
It was a twist of fate that Madeira was the first law enforcement officer on the scene of the woman’s remains and then, later became the Ranger to arrest the murderer. Madeira recalls that at the time, this 23-year old cold case was the longest unsolved case in Harris County history. Newspapers across the United States and Canada carried articles throughout the trial and beyond. A book by Rick Boychuk, “Honor Thy Mother” was written about this case.
In 1979 Robert Madeira was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason at Morton Lodge No. 72 in Richmond, Texas, and later joined Cypress Lodge No. 1432.
WE EXTEND TO RETIRED TEXAS RANGER LIEUTENANT ROBERT MADEIRA OUR DEEPEST
GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS.
YOUR LIFE STANDS AS AN EXEMPLAR OF OF THE HONOR AND INTEGRITY OF THE TEXAS
RANGERS AND AND TESTAMENT TO THE TENANTS OF TEXAS FREEMASONRY.
