Joseph W. Floyd, an agent with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Internal Revenue, was killed in Houston, Texas, on May 17, 1922, while attempting to serve a search warrant. He was shot by a suspect as he entered the garage of the suspect's residence. He was 46 years of age at the time of his death. Newspaper accounts of the incident indicated that Agent Floyd's weapon had not been fired and the search warrant was still in his pocket. Thousands of dollars' worth of liquor, a quantity of drugs, and several weapons, including two automatic pistols, were seized during this operation.

Agent Floyd was appointed as a federal prohibition agent in Houston, Texas, on November 18, 1921. He was born in Madisonville, Texas, and had lived in that city many years before moving to Houston. He was regarded as an officer of the highest caliber, intelligence, and fearlessness. He was survived by his wife, Yetta; three daughters, Louisa, Jo, and Carmen Kathlyn; and one son, Joseph W., Jr.