Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Austin Roberts and Officer Ocie Gray were killed when the Cessna 180 piloted by Officer Roberts crashed just off State Route 104 about 23 miles east of Las Vegas. The officers were dropping hay to starving antelope that were stuck in deep snow in San Miguel County. Officer Roberts was a U.S. Air Force veteran who had piloted 65 bombing missions during WWII. He had served with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish for 11 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-C61DA23C- 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.
Officer Roberts gave the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Santa Fe 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
Austin A. Roberts served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer Austin A. Roberts 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 NM, 59 of 193 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.6% of this state's fallen.
At New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, 2 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Austin A. Roberts's cause is highlighted.
How Austin A. Roberts Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Austin A. Roberts is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from New Mexico Department of Game and Fish are honored on badge.nw.
