Avant Burmeister Coward

Atascosa County Sheriff's Department — Jourdanton, TX

Felonious

End of Watch August 2, 1952

Age 46

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 88 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Avant Coward was shot and killed on the front lawn of the county jail on Broadway Street in Jourdanton. Deputy Coward had sent a message to the man earlier in the day, requesting that he come to the jail to answer questions about cattle rustling. The man arrived at the jail with a shotgun and immediately exchanged shots with Deputy Coward. Both men were fatally wounded. Deputy Coward had served with the Atascosa County Sheriff's Department for 20 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four daughters, and one granddaughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-BF2CF880
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

20 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Sheriff Coward gave the Atascosa County Sheriff's Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Jourdanton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Coward.

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

Agency

Department Atascosa County Sheriff's Department

Location Jourdanton, TX

Platform Identity acso.atascosa.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 2, 1952

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Shot and killed

Deputy Sheriff Avant Burmeister Coward 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Atascosa County Sheriff's Department, 7 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Atascosa County Sheriff's Department

of 7 officers

100% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious