Benjamin Hawkins Berry

Travis County Sheriff's Dept. — Austin, TX

Felonious

End of Watch February 1, 1967

Age 57

Tour of Duty 5 yrs 10 mo

The Vigil Panel 102 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Benny Berry was shot and killed as he and Deputy Sheriff Walter Eckert attempted to serve a felony warrant on a man for writing bad checks. At 9:30 a.m., the deputies entered the man's residence at 7401 Grover Avenue in Austin after being told by a neighbor that the man was inside the home. The suspect opened fire on the deputies with an M-1 carbine, mortally wounding Deputy Berry in the chest and Deputy Eckert in the hip and calf. Deputy Eckert returned fire but did not strike the shooter as he fled the house. Deputy Eckert went to the house next door for back-up. The suspect, who was on federal probation, was arrested and sentenced to 99 years in prison, but was released after serving only 13 years. Deputy Eckert was transported to Brackenridge Hospital. Due to his wounds, he was medically retired. He succumbed to his wounds on June 4, 1975. Deputy Berry had served with the Travis County Sheriff's Office for almost six years. He was survived by his son and by his wife, a dispatcher at the Travis County Sheriff's Office. It was his wife who received the first call of "Officer Down" at the Sheriff's office when her husband was shot and killed at the scene.

Survivors

He was survived by his son and by his wife, a dispatcher at the Travis County Sheriff's Office.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-40E3115C
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Benjamin. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Berry gave the Travis County Sheriff's Office 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Berry.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Travis County Sheriff's Dept.

Location Austin, TX

Platform Identity tcso.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 1, 1967

Tour of Duty 5 yrs 10 mo

Age 57

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; M-1

Offender Released after 13 years

Deputy Sheriff Benjamin Hawkins Berry is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Travis County Sheriff's Dept., 6 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Travis County Sheriff's Dept.

of 8 officers

75% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious