Joe Taylor Aven Jr.

New Mexico State Police — Santa Fe, NM

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch August 6, 1953

Age 30

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 89 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 28

Incident

Patrolman Joe Aven and Sergeant John Ramsey were killed in an automobile crash while en route to Sweetwater, Texas, to follow up on a perjury investigation. In addition to conducting the investigation, they were scheduled to stop in Seminole, Texas, to attend the funeral of the Gaines County sheriff. During the drive, another vehicle entered their travel lane while attempting to pass another car 15 miles west of Seminole, Texas. Sergeant Ramsey took evasive action and swerved to the right. At the same time, the oncoming car swerved to the left and the two vehicles collided head-on. Sergeant Ramsey was killed instantly and Patrolman Aven succumbed to his injuries the following day. The police chief of Hobbs, New Mexico, who was also riding with them was injured in the crash. Patrolman Aven was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the New Mexico State Police for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-4028A897
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Joe is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Aven gave the New Mexico State Police 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Mexico, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department New Mexico State Police

Type State Police

Location Santa Fe, NM

Platform Identity nmsp.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 6, 1953

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Joe Taylor Aven Jr. served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Joe Taylor Aven Jr. is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In NM, 59 of 193 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.6% of this state's fallen. That is 30.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New Mexico State Police, 18 of 29 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 62.1% of this agency's fallen.

New Mexico State Police

of 29 officers

62.1% Accident

NM — Statewide

of 193 officers

30.6% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident