Roll of Honor
John E. Covert
Incident
Constable John Covert was shot and killed while raiding an illegal alcohol still.
At approximately 0300 hours, Constable Covert, along with two other officers, conducted a raid on an illegal whiskey still. As they approached the still, they saw somewhere between two and four men, and at least one of the men armed with a gun. As one officer was putting one man under arrest, a shot rang out. Constable Covert was struck with a shotgun blast in the upper arm close to his shoulder.
Constable Covert was transported to Baylor Hospital in Dallas where he died the next day from his wound.
The suspects were arrested and taken to Canton and charged with murder.
Constable Covert was survived by a half-brother, a cousin, and an aunt.
Survivors
Constable Covert was survived by a half-brother, a cousin, and an aunt.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-79B09FAA- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Constable Covert served with the Van Zandt County Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Grand Salline community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Covert.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable John E. Covert is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John E. Covert's cause is highlighted.
How John E. Covert Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John E. Covert is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John E. Covert was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Van Zandt County Constable's Office - Precinct 1 are honored on badge.nw.