In Memoriam 2023
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Sergeant
Stephen Gibson
Somervell County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
End of Watch Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Sergeant Stephen Gibson was killed in a vehicle crash on Texas State Highway 144.
At 6:30 a.m., Sergeant Gibson was traveling northbound when a southbound truck lost control on the wet highway. The truck struck Sergeant Gibson’s patrol vehicle head-on.
Sergeant Gibson was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other driver was not injured.
Sergeant Gibson had served with the Somervell County Sheriff’s Office for 26 years. He is survived by his wife, two children, and grandchildren.
Correctional Officer
Jovian Motley
Texas Dept.Criminal Justice
J. Dale Wainwright Unit
Lovelady, Texas
End of Watch Monday, November 13, 2023
Correctional Officer Jovian Motley died while helping restrain a combative inmate at the J. Dale Wainwright Unit at 2665 Prison Road 1 in Lovelady.
The cause of death is under investigation.
Officer Motley had served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Correctional Institutions Division for over one year. He is survived by his mother and father.
Senior Police Officer
Jorge Pastore
Austin Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Saturday, November 11, 2023
Senior Police Officer Jorge Pastore was shot and killed during a hostage barricade at 9308 Bernoulli Drive at about 4:10 am.
Patrol officers had initially responded to the residence for a domestic violence call involving a stabbing shortly before 3:00 am. Arriving officers located an injured victim outside of the home and learned there were two more injured victims inside. As the officers attempted to enter the home to rescue the victims the subject inside opened fire, causing the officers to retreat.
The agency’s SWAT team arrived at the scene and attempted a hostage rescue at about 4:30 am. The subject opened fire on the SWAT team, fatally wounding Officer Pastore and wounding a second officer. The officers returned fire, killing him. The other two victims were also found deceased inside the home.
Officer Pastore had served with the Austin Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife, two stepsons, and parents.
Sergeant
Jon Arden Jenson
Ft. Worth Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Saturday, October 28, 2023
Sergeant Jon Jenson died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Sergeant Jenson was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Fort Worth Police Department for 26 years. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, and sister.
Lieutenant
Milton Resendez
San Benito Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Lieutenant Milton Resendez was shot and killed during a police pursuit at the 1100 block of North Sam Houston Boulevard in San Benito.
At 10:58 p.m., the San Benito Police Department was notified that a fleeing vehicle being pursued by the Texas Department of Public Safety was entering their jurisdiction. Lieutenant Resendez was traveling north on North Sam Houston Boulevard when the fleeing vehicle approached from the southbound lanes. The subjects fired at his patrol vehicle. One bullet hit the front of his patrol vehicle, and the second struck the driver’s side door. One of the bullets pierced Lieutenant Resendez in the abdomen below his vest. He was transported to Valley Baptist Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
Two subjects were arrested after a pit maneuver stopped their vehicle. They have been charged with evading arrest, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and capital murder.
Lieutenant Resendez had served with the San Benito Police Department for 27 years and previously served with the Brownsville Police Department and Palm Valley Police Department.
Police Officer
Darrin McMichael
Arlington Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Thursday, September 21, 2023
Police Officer Darrin McMichael was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Interstate 20 near St. Augustine Drive at 6:10 a.m.
While driving his department motorcycle to work, Officer McMichael struck the back of an SUV when traffic suddenly stopped in front of him. The collision caused him to fall off his motorcycle. Before he could get up, another vehicle ran over him and drove away.
Officer McMichael was transported to Baylor Medical Center where he died from his injuries.
The driver has not been apprehended.
Officer McMichael had served with the Arlington Police Department for 24 years, assigned to the Motorcycle Unit for 13 years. His wife also serves with the agency.
Deputy Sheriff
Matthew Pierson
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
End of Watch Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Deputy Sheriff Matthew Pierson was killed in a vehicle crash at the Texas State Highway 147 and Texas State Highway 103 intersection at 7:30 a.m.
He was driving his patrol vehicle east on Texas Highway 103 and collided with a tractor-trailer while attempting to turn north on Texas State Highway 147.
Deputy Pierson had served with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office for two days.
Police Officer
Bryan Holley
Hudson ISD Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, August 18, 2023
Officer Bryan Holley suffered a fatal medical emergency shortly after performing afternoon traffic control at Bonner Elementary School in Lufkin, Texas.
He collapsed at about 4:10 pm after completing the traffic control assignment.
Officer Holley had served with the Hudson Independent School District Police Department for 10 years and had served in law enforcement for 31 years. He had previously served with the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office for 17 years and the Angelina County Constable’s Office – Precinct 1 for four years. He is survived by his wife, four children, and three grandchildren.
Deputy
David Bosecker
Eastland County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, July 21, 2023
Deputy Sheriff David Bosecker was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call along Highway 183 between Cisco and Rising Star.
As he arrived on the scene a male subject opened fire on him, fatally wounding him. Other responding officers took the subject into custody. The man was charged with capital murder.
Deputy Bosecker had served with the Eastland County Sheriff’s Office for two years and had served in law enforcement for 21 years. He had previously served with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Comanche Police Department. He also worked as a part-time marine enforcement officer for the Cisco Police Department.
Sergeant
Joshua I. Clouse
Cameron Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Monday, May 11, 2023
Sergeant Joshua Clouse was shot and killed by a subject in the 500 block of E 7th Street as he and other officers executed a search warrant.
The subject inside of the home was wanted for shooting his wife during a domestic violence incident earlier in the night. The wounded woman was able to walk to a neighbor’s home and call the police. Responding officers secured the subject’s residence and obtained a search warrant to take him into custody.
As officers with the Cameron Police Department and several neighboring agencies attempted to execute the warrant the man opened fire, fatally wounding Sergeant Clouse. Other officers returned fire and killed the subject.
Sergeant Clouse was a U.S. Army veteran. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Deputy
Jason Stuart Jones
Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
End of Watch: Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Deputy Sheriff Jason Jones died as a result of contracting COVID-19 while assigned to the North Patrol Division in Lake Worth.
Deputy Jones had served with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office for 14 years and previously served with the Double Oak Police Department, Fort Worth Marshal’s Office, and Lakeside Police Department. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, and three sons.
The Effects of COVID on Law Enforcement
Beginning in early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country began to contract COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic. Due to the nature of their job, law enforcement officers were required to work and interact with the community even as the majority of the country was self-quarantined. As a result, hundreds of officers died from COVID-related illnesses and other complications.
Corrections agencies, in particular, suffered tremendous losses due to the constant and close proximity between the corrections officers and large inmate populations. Since March 2020, ODMP has verified that over 900 law enforcement officers have died as the result of a confirmed or presumed exposure while on duty and continues to work with hundreds of other agencies that have suffered a COVID-related death.
