By Orian Gaston, Special to the NavCo Chronicle
Braving each day in the realm of the unknown was a daily occurrence long before the subject of this story became an adult. The Navarro County District Attorney Chief Investigator, Casey Gaston, came from the humblest of beginnings. He is grateful to be a former resident of the IOOF Children’s Home. According to a simple search of outcomes for children in foster care type programs,” Less than 3% will go on to earn a college degree”, Chief Investigator Gaston continues to defy the odds.
When the IOOF home closed in 1990, Gaston, 16, was sent to finish high school out of state. A natural leader, Casey represented the student body of his Arizona high school as their President. This experience heightened his communication and problem-solving abilities. A team roping header, you could bet money on his catch! Busting out of the box first, bolstered his confidence. A loyal teammate to whichever buddy had money to haul with him, he learned to rely on their untested expertise. He not only loved rodeo but treasures his championship buckle from high school. During his teen years, he became an avid subsistence hunter. Casey shared his love of the outdoors with other orphans in the “Operation Orphans” program for many years.
Gaston graduated from our local Navarro College with an Associate’s degree in General Education; and then North Central Texas College with an additional Associates in Criminal Justice. He enrolled in the University of North Texas police academy with Rheann Ivie (now his wife). They were the first couple in the U.N.T. Police Academy, and they had to be assigned different partners because they were practicing the effectiveness of defense techniques on each other in class.
The North Texas academy was a rigorous environment that included personal defense, physical training and a host of instructors, including Texas experts in niche areas of policing. The science of policing that he learned at the academy reignited his chase for more knowledge. After TCLEOSE (Texas Commission Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education) certification, he went back to finish his academic courses at U.N.T. Graduating with the highest honors, he earned a Baccalaureate of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of North Texas.
After university graduation he went to work for Denton County Sheriff’s Department. While there, he worked in a pod (A pod is a large area where a singular officer resides inside, in direct supervision of 48 mixed population inmates.) The urge to return to Navarro County lured him away from Denton.
Serving under two Navarro County Sheriffs, the late Sheriff Les Cotton and current Sheriff Elmer Tanner; in 2000 he began his NCSO career as a dispatcher and was soon promoted to Corporal of dispatch. While on patrol, he worked nights and evenings exclusively. According to Gaston, “I didn’t want to miss any time with you. (Orian)”. He might have been the most tired patrolman for the first few years of my life. When I was in 2nd grade, he took on a new position as Evidence Technician. Gaston pursued his Master Peace Officer and Master Jailer license while serving NCSO. He was already one of the three certified Fingerprint Experts in our county and was the top choice of Sheriff Tanner to preserve and catalog evidence. Gaston held several positions including jailer, dispatcher, patrolman and evidence technician until his retirement in 2022. Gaston has a knack for technology and regularly volunteered to help fellow officers and agencies with electronic forensics.
Navarro County District Attorney, Will Thompson recruited Gaston to the Investigator office. D.A. Thompson said, “Investigator Gaston brings a wealth of law enforcement experience to our team. His expertise has been instrumental in the successful prosecution of dozens of major cases.” Gaston is well respected for his service to the community and known for his calm disposition and can-do attitude. Navarro County District Attorney Investigator, Patricia Medina has worked alongside Gaston for a total of 17 years. When asked about her impressions of him, Medina said, “As a professional you can’t get better. He is very responsible, a perfectionist and he really cares. I think we make a good team”. His affinity for technology has been helpful in the Investigator position. He was recently certified as a Cell Phone Forensics Examiner.
There are numerous stories people will tell you about my Dad. Believe them. Every single story is true. However, you won’t find me writing about them. He has served our community for a quarter of a century and few people remember his name. He is the quiet one. He comes in, calms the situation and takes care of his business and paperwork. He doesn’t hold a grudge, talk about the affairs of others or want any type of praise for doing his job. My dad doesn’t share about his time at work while at home. Until I began poking around and asking some of his friends about his work environment, I honestly had the opinion that he went to work daily to help people. I had no idea how cruel, horrific and scary his job has been. Police are not unlike any other profession, there are many excellent and a few bad apples. The officers I have grown up around seem to be on the same mission as my dad. They are just there to help, solve problems and make it back to their families at the end of shift. Please pray for them and all of those who serve during times of crisis. “My heroes are those who risk their lives every day to protect our world and make it a better place – police, firefighters and members of our armed forces.”- Sidney Shelton
Project, THRU. “Words from a Mentor.” THRU Project | Resources for Foster Youth, 10 Nov. 2021,