Tech Student from S'Water Found Dead

Sweetwater - A 21-year-old Texas Tech University student from Sweetwater was found shot to death early Monday at Palo Duro Canyon, where he was employed as a summer park ranger.

The body of Jack Richards Carson was discovered at 8:30 a.m. in his mobile home residence near the park entrance.

Canyon Justice of the Peace W. A. Wilson ruled the death due to a single .22-caliber gunshot wound in the head, but withheld a final ruling in the case pending further investigation.

Services for Carson are pending with McCoy Funeral Home in Sweetwater.

Born Jan. 25, 1953 in Sweetwater, he was a senior at Texas Tech. At Sweetwater High School, he was active in the Curtain Club and on the student council and Pony Express staff. He was a member of the Episcopal Church.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William F. Carson of Sweetwater; two brothers, James of Grand Prairie and Dru of Sweetwater.

The family requests remembrances be made in the form of contributions to charity.

From THE ABILENE (TX) REPORTER (7/02/1974)
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RANDALL COUNTY DEATH CERTIFICATE

Name: Jack Richards Carson
Death date: Residence, 30 Jun 1974
Death place: Randall, Texas, United States
Cause of death: Self-inflicted gunshot wound
Gender: Male
Race or color (on document): White
Age at death: 21 years
Birth date: 25 Jan 1953
Birth place: Sweetwater Texas
Marital status: Single
Spouse name:
Father name: William F Carson
Father birth place:
Mother name:
Mother birth place:
Occupation: Park Ranger, Palo Duro State Park
Residence: Palo Duro State Park
Cemetery name: Garden of Memories
Burial place: Sweetwater, Texas
Burial date: 01 Jul 1974
Informant: William F. Carson, father
Film number: 2243200
Digital GS number: 4152973
Image number: 02672
Reference number: 45518
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
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