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Conservation Officer

Vernon Scott Averill

Michigan Department of Natural Resources — Lansing, MI

Felonious

End of Watch February 1, 1986

Age 39

The Vigil Panel 130 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Conservation Officer V. Scott Averill succumbed to complications of head injuries sustained on October 23rd, 1980, when he was attacked by a father and son.

Officer Averill had just issued the pairs citations for illegally spearing fish in Acme Creek, near M-72, at about 1:15 pm. As he turned away from the pair attacked him. The 16-year-old son held him down as the father beat him over the head with a .22 caliber hunting revolver. The two then stole Officer Averill's service pistol, glasses, and ticket book and fled the scene.

Despite suffering two skull fractures and a concussion, Officer Averill was able to crawl to his truck and then drive to M-72 where he called for help.

The father and son were arrested a short time later and charged with robbery and assault.

Officer Averill underwent surgery on the night of the incident to relieve pressure on his brain. He developed tumors in the immediate area of the skull fractures and died on February 1st, 1986.

Officer Averill was survived by his wife and two children.

Survivors

Officer Averill was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-88DF279A
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Conservation Officer Averill served with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Thank you for your service to the Lansing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Conservation Officer Averill.

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

Agency

Department Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Location Lansing, MI

Platform Identity mdnrcons.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 1, 1986

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Blunt object

Offender Arrested

Conservation Officer Vernon Scott Averill is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 5 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

of 15 officers

33.3% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious