Garretson family to honor fallen Copperas Cove officer at Boston run

Elijah Garretson’s family will travel to Boston on Memorial Day weekend to honor the Copperas Cove police officer at a race built to remember fallen first responders. The Garretson family will take part in Boston’s Run To Remember on Sunday, May 24, keeping his name in view far from Coryell County but rooted in the service that made him part of this community.

Garretson was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 10, 2026, after responding to a suspicious-person call. He had served with the Copperas Cove Police Department for seven months, following military service as a U.S. Army veteran and a graduation from the Central Texas College Police Academy in June 2025, where he earned the Academic Award for the highest grade point average in his class.

He left behind his wife, Alexis Hering Garretson, also known as Lexi, and their 5-year-old daughter, Elliana. Born March 18, 1998, Garretson was still in the early years of both his family life and his law-enforcement career when he died, which has made his story especially present for residents who knew him through Copperas Cove and the wider Central Texas law-enforcement community.

Boston’s Run To Remember is a half marathon and 5-mile race that honors fallen law enforcement officers and other first responders. The 2026 event lists Mass Fallen Heroes as its official charity, and net proceeds support local youth and community programs backed by first responders. The race also draws more than 10,000 runners each year, with participants from all 50 states and more than a dozen other countries.

The course runs through some of Boston’s most familiar landmarks, including the Seaport District, the Old State House, Government Center, Faneuil Hall, Boston Common, the Theatre District and Post Office Square. For the Garretson family, that route will carry Elijah Garretson’s memory into a national Memorial Day tribute, while keeping Copperas Cove tied to a public remembrance that stretches well beyond Texas. Those who want to follow the tribute can look to the May 24 race and support Mass Fallen Heroes, the event’s 2026 charity.