[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 107 (Thursday, July 16, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H8270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SHANE DETWILER--SOLDIER, LAWMAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a Texas lawman has been killed in the 
line of duty. He was from Baytown, Texas. Shane Thomas Detwiler was a 
sheriff's deputy in Chambers County and a remarkable family man. He was 
just 31 years of age.
  Shane was killed Monday of this week while investigating another 
shooting at an area mobile home park. A meter reader reported shots 
were fired at her when she went to shut off the water service. Shane 
was shot and killed when he responded to the call at this mobile home. 
He was gunned down upon entering the mobile home. After a long 
standoff, the shooter, Gilbert Ortez, Jr., shot and killed himself. 
Over 100 explosives were later found in his residence.
  Shane's wife, Trish Detwiler, said her husband especially loved 
spending time with their three kids--sons Audie and Aiden and their 
daughter Abigail. Trish is an English teacher at Barbers Hill High 
School. In fact, today some of her students who belong to the Future 
Farmers of America, the FAA, happened to be in town and came by and 
visited me.
  Trish said Shane would get up late at night with the children and 
make dinner for the whole family every night.
  Trish, along with Shane's parents, Tom Detwiler and Cheryl Railsback, 
said Shane had a sense of adventure and eagerness to try new things. He 
was a certified scuba diver and also he was about to tackle 
spearfishing.
  Shane wasn't born in Texas, but he got there as fast as he could. 
Shane was born in Ohio in 1977, and moved to Texas when he was four 
years of age. He met Trish when they were both in the third grade at 
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, which is north of 
Houston. Shane played soccer, was a Cub Scout, and played trumpet in 
the Cy-Fair High School Band.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a photograph of Shane taken not too long ago.
  Shane joined the United States Army when he was 17. His mom, Cheryl, 
had to sign the papers, but she said he really wanted to be a soldier. 
He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in the United States Army. He 
served in Korea in 1998 and 1999. When he got back home to Texas, he 
earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State 
University in just 2\1/2\ years, graduating summa cum laude.
  He became a Texas game warden. That's a photograph of him here in his 
game warden uniform. That happened in 2003. He earned the nickname 
``Superman'' from his fellow game wardens because he excelled in 
everything he did.
  In 2005, Shane left for a yearlong tour of duty in Iraq when his 
oldest boy was just 3 weeks of age. He served as a counterintelligence 
special agent for the 321st Military Intelligence Battalion. He earned 
the Bronze Star and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
  But after his tour in Iraq, Shane came home to Texas to his game 
warden job and then he became a Chambers County sheriff's deputy just 2 
months ago. The job of a deputy with the Chambers County Sheriff's 
Department allowed him to spend more time with his family. He worked 
the night shift until just last month.
  This young lawman's death is particularly tragic because he leaves 
behind such young children. Shane's family pastor, Scott Neal of Eagle 
Heights Fellowship, said it's been particularly heartbreaking. He said, 
``I asked his wife how she was doing, and she said, `Only my 4-year-old 
will remember who their father was.''' That's very sad.
  Mr. Speaker, the men and women who serve this country as lawmen and 
soldiers make great sacrifices to guard the safety and security of our 
communities. They risk their very lives in that service every day. 
Their families make great sacrifices as well.
  So today we pay tribute to the extraordinary young man called Shane, 
with so much life ahead of him and his young family who suffers the 
loss of a wonderful man.
  This Nation and the State of Texas owe Shane and his family an 
immeasurable debt of gratitude for their sacrifice. My fellow Texan who 
also represents southeast Texas, Dr. Ron Paul, and I are deeply sorry 
for the loss of Shane. Tomorrow, Shane will be buried in Mont Belvieu 
Texas.
  Mr. Speaker, Shane Detwiler wore the uniform of a soldier, he wore 
the uniform of a Texas peace officer, he fought bad guys in Iraq, and 
back home he fought them as well. He did double service protecting the 
people. He was quite a person. He was the best that America has.
  And that's just the way it is.

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