Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Ronnie Dodds and Chief Deputy Albert Jakubek were shot and killed while transporting two juvenile prisoners from Shiner to Halletsville. During the transport, one of the prisoners was able to gain control of Sheriff Dodd's service revolver and shot both officers. Sheriff Dodds was killed instantly and Chief Deputy Jakubek succumbed to his wounds two weeks later. The triggerman, 20, was shot and wounded by officers as he was apprehended later that day near Halletsville. On January 23, 1970, he was sentenced to death but had his sentence commuted to life in 1972. The other suspect, 17, turned state's evidence and received a lesser sentence for a lesser charge. On June 19, 1997, he was still in prison. Sheriff Dodds had originally been elected by two votes in 1964 and was serving his second term as sheriff. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII. In October 2017 a section of U.S. 90 Alternative was renamed the "Sheriff Ronnie Dodds Memorial Highway."
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-68270405- 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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Ronnie 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.
Sheriff Dodds gave the Lavaca County Sheriff's Office 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hallettsville community, 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
Ronnie Ray Dodds served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Sheriff Ronnie Ray Dodds 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%.
At Lavaca County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ronnie Ray Dodds's cause is highlighted.
How Ronnie Ray Dodds Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ronnie Ray Dodds is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ronnie Ray Dodds was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Military Service
Ronnie Ray Dodds served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Visit Ronnie Ray Dodds’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Lavaca County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
