AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) – Sgt. Mark Butler with the Navasota Police Department was honored by Gov. Greg Abbott at the Texas Peace Officers’ Memorial ceremony on Sunday.
Butler was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 15, 2025, after using his patrol vehicle to stop a wrong-way driver on Highway 6.
“Butler’s instincts, his positioning, his known sacrifice saved the lives of all the motorists around him. That is more than duty. That is devotion. The type of devotion shared and shown by every person we recognize tonight.” said Governor Greg Abbott.
RELATED: Bryan family credits heroic sacrifice of Navasota officer for saving lives on Highway 6
Twenty-five fallen officers and five historically fallen officers were honored at the 2026 Texas Peace Officers’ Memorial at the memorial monument on the capitol grounds in Austin.
Abbott awarded the Texas Medal of Honor to a family member of each of the officers who died in the line of duty.
The following officers were honored:
Deputy Micheal V. Floyd: Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct 4Detention Officer Robert Perez: Harris County Sheriff’s OfficeDeputy John L. Badeaux, Sr.: Orange County Sheriff’s OfficeDeputy Shaun Christopher Waters: Harris County Sheriff’s OfficeDeputy Arthur St. John: Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct 1Parole Officer Huey Pearce Prymus, III: Texas Department of Criminal JusticeCorrectional Officer Codie Whitley-Turner: Texas Department of Criminal JusticeSenior Officer Eric Lindsey: Austin Police DepartmentCorporal Mike E. Sanchez, Jr.: Amarillo Police DepartmentOfficer Ramiro Perez, III: Shallowater Police DepartmentCorrectional Officer Kay W. Zeger, Jr.: Texas Department of Criminal JusticeOfficer Bryan Daniel Holley: Hudson ISD Police DepartmentDeputy Bryan “Brad” Sweetman: Harris County Sheriff’s OfficeAssistant Chief Kevin L. Palmer: North Richland Hills Police DepartmentBorder Patrol Agent Jesus Anaya: U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border ProtectionCadet Michelle Strube: Texas Department of Criminal JusticeCorporal Maher Khalil Husseini: Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct 4Officer Gabriel A. Bixby: Dallas Police DepartmentSergeant Mark Allen Butler: Navasota Police DepartmentDeputy Melissa L. Pollard: Wood County Sheriff’s OfficeDeputy Jessie R. Perez: Dawson County Sheriff’s OfficeSergeant Jonathan D. “J.D.” White: Angleton Police DepartmentTrooper Jerry Wayne Adamick, Jr.: Texas Department of Public Safety
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