Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Dustin Speckels died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in a presumed exposure while assigned to the Hays County Narcotics Task Force.
Deputy Speckels had served with the Hays County Sheriff's Office for almost 13 years and had previously served with the San Angelo Police Department for two years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Deputy Sheriff Dustin Kyle Speckels died on May 30, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 38.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Hays County Sheriff's Office.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
His survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-E7B1C8F1- 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
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Deputy Sheriff Speckels gave the Hays County Sheriff's Office 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Marcos community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Speckels.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Dustin Kyle Speckels is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 204 of 2,421 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 8.4% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Hays County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 4 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dustin Kyle Speckels's cause is highlighted.
How Dustin Kyle Speckels Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Dustin Kyle Speckels is highlighted in May.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Hays County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
