Phil Ryan, the American Texas Ranger and three-term sheriff of Wise County, Texas, died on February 25, 2026, at age 80.
Ryan entered law enforcement in 1966 as a police officer in Pasadena, Texas, before joining the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrolman assigned to Houston and Cleveland. Promoted to highway patrol sergeant in 1976, he later served as a Texas Ranger in Decatur, covering Jack, Montague and Clay counties.
He was known for handling major cases, including the arrest of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. After retiring from law enforcement, Ryan returned to public service in 1992 and won election as Wise County sheriff, serving three terms.
Phillip R. Ryan (August 10, 1945 – February 25, 2026) was an American Texas Ranger and the three-term sheriff of Wise County, Texas. He entered law enforcement in 1966 at the age of 21, initially serving as a police officer in Pasadena in Harris County, Texas. He later joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrolman assigned to Houston and Cleveland, Texas. In 1976, he was promoted to highway patrol sergeant, which took him to Humble, Texas. He applied for and was accepted to service in the Texas Ranger Division and served as a Ranger in Decatur, which also covered Jack, Montague, and Clay counties.