Roll of Honor
Robert Ray Jones
Incident
Captain Robert Jones was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow officer who was demonstrating weapon handling and self-defense techniques at the Department of Public Safety regional license office in Garland. At 3:05 p.m., the officer was showing new techniques he had learned at retraining school after unloading his weapon. After he reloaded the weapon, he was asked about another maneuver. He drew the loaded .357 Magnum revolver, and as he brought the weapon up, it discharged, striking Captain Jones in the chest and killing him. The shooting was ruled accidental by the agency. Captain Jones was a United States Marine Corps World War II veteran and had served with the Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol for 34 years. He left the agency in 1951 for three months to play professional baseball with the New York Yankees.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, and a grandchild.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-D764E633- 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.
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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.
Captain Jones gave the Texas Department of Public Safety 34 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Robert Ray Jones served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Captain Robert Ray Jones is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 653 of 2,421 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27% of this state's fallen. That is 4 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, 56 of 95 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 58.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Ray Jones's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Ray Jones Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Ray Jones is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
94 officers from Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
