Governor Greg Abbott honored several North Texas first responders during a Star of Texas Award ceremony held on Friday September 11 marking a solemn occasion that recognized both sacrifice and survival in the line of duty.
Among those recognized was the late Terrell Police Officer Jacob Candanoza who was fatally shot during a traffic stop in December 2024. His family and fellow officers from the Terrell Police Department accepted the award on his behalf.
Candanoza was shot multiple times by Darrian Johnson on December 8 2024 during a traffic stop near Highway 34 in Terrell. Even after being shot the officer managed to relay the suspect’s license plate information to responding units which proved critical to the investigation.
Off-duty officers and Texas state troopers later located Johnson’s vehicle in the Canton area of Van Zandt County roughly 30 miles from the scene. Johnson was arrested and charged with capital murder.
The case concluded without a trial after Johnson entered a guilty plea. A Kaufman County judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole within minutes of his court appearance. Family members of Officer Candanoza delivered victim impact statements directly to Johnson inside the courtroom where cameras were not permitted.
Also honored during the ceremony was Fort Worth firefighter Caleb Halvorson who survived a near-fatal roof collapse while battling a blaze on September 3 2025. Halvorson was trapped beneath debris and airlifted to Parkland Hospital with third-degree burns covering 12 percent of his body primarily on his left side.
Halvorson spent 34 days in the hospital enduring multiple surgeries and fighting through serious infections. He also sustained devastating knee injuries including tears to his ACL MCL PCL and labrum during the collapse.
The Star of Texas Award is one of the state’s highest honors for first responders who are killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. Friday’s ceremony underscored the dangers faced daily by law enforcement officers and firefighters across Texas.