Highway 7 Designated as Matt Jones Memorial Highway

A portion of Highway 7 East in Marlin has officially been designated as the Matt Jones Memorial Highway in honor of Falls County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Jones, who died in the line of duty on Oct. 11, 2019.

A dedication ceremony was held Friday to unveil the new signage, drawing law enforcement officers, community members and family who gathered to remember the fallen deputy. Cassie, the Falls County Sheriff’s Department K-9, was also in attendance at the reception.

Deputy Jones was killed after being struck by a vehicle on Highway 6 while assisting a motorist who had slid off the road during heavy rain. Falls County Sheriff Jason Campbell said the new memorial ensures that Jones’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.“He made the ultimate sacrifice; he laid down his life in the protection of others. Like it says in the Bible, ‘No greater love than to lay down this life for others,’” Campbell said.

In addition to the highway dedication, the Falls County Sheriff’s Office is working on a mural honoring Deputy Jones and other fallen officers who gave their lives in service.

Residents said the memorials are a powerful reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face each day.

Six years after his death, Deputy Jones’s legacy continues to be preserved — not only through words and memories, but now through a permanent highway tribute for all who travel through Falls County.