Roll of Honor
Thomas Jay Deniston
Incident
Conservation Officer Thomas Deniston was killed in an aircraft accident at Smith Field near State Road 3 and Interstate 69 in Allen County. Conservation Officer Deniston was traveling in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk when the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff. The plane became engulfed in flames upon impact and was nearly completely destroyed. The pilot who was a dispatcher, and a jail officer, both of the Whitley County Sheriff's Department and off duty were also killed in the crash. Conservation Officer Deniston was investigating deer being hunted illegally and had planned on photographing duck blinds and possible waterfowl bating. Conservation Officer Deniston had served with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for two years and was a US Air Force veteran.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, four sisters, two brothers and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-0B72F169- 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. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Thomas 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.
Conservation Officer Deniston gave the Indiana Department of Natural Resources 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Indianapolis 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
Thomas Jay Deniston served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.
Conservation Officer Thomas Jay Deniston is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In IN, 152 of 504 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.2% of this state's fallen. That is 30.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 6 of 7 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 85.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Jay Deniston's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Jay Deniston Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Jay Deniston is highlighted in Oct.
Military Service
Thomas Jay Deniston served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.
Visit Thomas Jay Deniston’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Indiana Department of Natural Resources are honored on badge.nw.
