Retired Haltom City police corporal killed in Azle house fire remembered as a dedicated community servant

AZLE, Texas – Family members grieving the loss of a retired Haltom City police corporal who died in a fire at his home over the weekend.

“We just want the public to know what a committed officer he was.”

A dedicated community servant, Haltom City Police corporal Tony Miller, 62, was with the department for more than 25 years. He retired from his position in February and returned to work just weeks ago as a property technician.

“I think the thing that he was probably most proud of was that during most of his service as a police officer, he spent as a detective investigating crimes against children,” said Shelly Beatty, Miller’s sister. “He took it, and he did it so well. So many court appearances he had to make and on his off time, just so committed to his family.”

Coroporal Miller died in a fire at his home in Azle Sunday morning. 

His sister tells FOX 4 Miller told his wife he was going to the garage to do some work. It was something so common, she didn’t focus on the specifics of what he said.

“A few minutes later she just heard a loud noise, and she thought, ‘wow, maybe a shelf fell.’ She opened the door to check and see if a shelf had fallen and when she did flames just shot inside at her,” Beatty said. “She literally had seconds to get out of the house. She got out with the clothes she was wearing, and she happened to have her phone in her side pocket.”

Once outside, Miller’s wife described several more explosions and a fire that raced through, engulfing their home.

A devastating loss, and now, the celebration of a family man, who was also an expert marksman and firearms instructor. 

Miller recently officiated the wedding of his niece and her husband, both also police officers. He was a father to two adult sons and had three young grandchildren.

“One of the absolute blessings is that those children were not there, because I know my sister-in-law would not have left that home without those kids,” said Beatty.

At this point, it is unclear what caused the explosion and fire.

“Tony was an expert at guns and handling guns, and teaching people about guns, but we don’t know for sure because she wasn’t out there. She doesn’t know what he was working on,” said Beatty. “There’s the lawnmowers out there, there’s gasoline to fill the lawnmowers, a go cart, I mean no one knows what happened.”

What is clear is how Corporal Miller will be remembered.

“Just so committed to family and whatever anybody needed. There were multiple times he would just drive by our house and see us outside working on something and just stop and help. We didn’t even have to ask him. When he saw you needed it he would just stop and help. He was that way in his personal life and his business life,” said Beatty.

As of Wednesday afternoon a fund for Miller’s family had raised more than six thousand dollars.