In the 1996 film *Lone Star*, directed by John Sayles, the story revolves around the discovery of a skeleton in the Texas desert, which triggers an investigation into deaths from the past and present. The following characters die in the film:
### 1. Sheriff Charlie Wade
* **How he died:** Shot in the back by Deputy Hollis Pogue in 1957.
* **Specific Detail:** Wade was a corrupt and sadistic sheriff who extorted the local community. On the night of his death, he confronted **Otis Payne** at a nightclub (then owned by Roderick) for running an illegal gambling operation without paying him a "cut." Wade began to physically assault Otis and intended to kill him, planning to frame it as "resisting arrest" (a tactic he had used before).
* **The Moment of Death:** Just as Wade was about to shoot Otis, **Buddy Deeds** (Sam's father) burst into the room. In the ensuing tension, **Hollis Pogue**, Wade’s other deputy, shot Wade in the back to prevent him from murdering Otis. Buddy, Hollis, and Otis then buried Wade's body at an old Army shooting range and took $10,000 from the county safe to make it appear as if Wade had skipped town with the money.
### 2. Eladio Cruz
* **How he died:** Shot in cold blood by Sheriff Charlie Wade (flashback).
* **Specific Detail:** Eladio was a man running a small-scale operation smuggling Mexican workers across the border. He refused to pay kickbacks to Wade. Wade caught him on a road and, in front of Deputy Hollis Pogue, murdered him. This event was a major turning point for Hollis, who was horrified by the act, ultimately leading to his decision to kill Wade years later when he saw history repeating itself with Otis Payne.
### 3. Sheriff Buddy Deeds
* **How he died:** Natural causes (prior to the film's "present day" events).
* **Specific Detail:** While Buddy Deeds is a central figure, he is already deceased when the movie begins. He died shortly before the start of the film's timeline. The town of Frontera is in the process of dedicating a new courthouse to him, and much of the plot involves his son, Sam Deeds, investigating whether his father was actually a murderer. It is implied through the dialogue that he died of age-related health issues, leaving behind a legendary but complicated reputation.
### 4. Other Deaths
* **Incidental Deaths:** In the present-day timeline, there is a shooting at **Big O’s** (Otis Payne's bar) involving two soldiers from the nearby Army base. While a shooting takes place (involving Private Athena Johnson’s ex-boyfriend), it is primarily used as a plot device to bring the estranged Colonel Delmore Payne into contact with his father, Otis. Most summaries treat this as an "incident" or "shooting" rather than a significant character death.
* **The "Mistress":** Though not a death seen on screen, it is revealed through Sam's investigation that Buddy’s longtime mistress, **Mercedes Cruz**, has been living a secret life. Her husband Eladio’s death (mentioned above) is the reason she became destitute, eventually leading to her relationship with Buddy.