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1990's
Line Of Duty Deaths
Note :
Some of these tributes are
for those that were not line of duty deaths.


Both
officer and K9 were killed in line of duty


Deputy Sheriff James
R. Kenney
November 16, 1999 -
Clay County, Kansas - Age 62
Deputy Sheriff James R. "Monk" Kenney, 62, was shot and
killed on November 16, 1999 at approximately 4:00 p.m. as he and
other officers were attempting to arrest 22-year-old Jeffery F.
Hebert at his home in Morganville who was a jail escapee.
At the time of his escape,
Hebert was being held
on a bench warrant for a probation violation for possession of marijuana
and drunken driving.
Also
escaping with Hebert was Thomas E. Smith Jr., 22 of Clyde, and
Russell T. Britt, 19, of Concordia. Smith and Britt were captured
and arrested soon after. Smith was arrested at a friend's home, and
Britt was arrested while trying to get to a relative's house in
Clyde. Rupert said both were charged with aggravated escape from
custody and aggravated assault on a corrections officer. The three
inmates escaped by overpowering a corrections officer and breaking
out of the jail's main window, falling 10 feet to the ground. Rupert
said the three suffered minor scrapes, while the officer had minor
injuries. Smith was being held on charges of aggravated criminal
sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Britt was
being held for violation of probation for burglary. The defendant
testified that after he escaped he originally intended to hide out
and live in the woods. Soon after the escape, the defendant became
separated from the other escapees and the plan began to fall apart.
After many miles of walking and hitchhiking, the defendant returned
to his house in Morganville during the early morning hours of
November 16, 1999. He drank a couple of beers, packed a duffel bag
full of clothes, and gathered his .12 gauge shotgun, his .22 caliber
rifle, and his .20 gauge sawed-off shotgun. The defendant testified
that he intended to use the guns to hunt animals in the woods for
food. He explained that he always kept his guns loaded with the
safeties off because he was the only one who handled them. Around 7
a.m. the defendant called a friend, Buddy Butler, intending to ask
for a ride, but changed his mind because he did not want to get
Butler involved. Soon after calling Butler, the defendant fell
asleep on his couch. While the defendant was sleeping, Detective
Kelly Kemp of the Clay County Sheriff's Department was gathering
information from people who knew the defendant. Detective Kemp
discovered the defendant's location when speaking with Butler, and
he relayed this information to Sheriff Caldwell. Sheriff Caldwell
instructed Detective Kemp to obtain a search warrant for the
defendant's residence. While waiting for the search warrant, Sheriff
Caldwell called the defendant's home telephone number three times
and knocked on the defendant's door, but heard no response. Sheriff
Caldwell called Deputy Kenney and asked him to come to the
defendant's house with his police dog, a
Belgian malinois. Deputy Kenney and Copper
arrived at the house approx. 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile, inside the house,
the defendant had just woken up. He finished packing his duffel bag
and, according to the defendant, he was about to head outside to go
live in the woods when he looked out the window and saw Sheriff
Caldwell's vehicle parked outside. For reasons he is not able to
explain, the defendant decided to take a shower. After getting out
of the shower, the defendant again looked out the window, hoping one
of the officers would move from their position long enough for him
to escape. After waiting a couple of minutes and receiving no
response, Detective Kemp forced open the back door. Sheriff
Caldwell, Under Sheriff Chuck Dunn, Detective Kemp, Deputy Kenney,
and Copper entered the house. When the defendant heard Sheriff
Caldwell knocking, he gathered his three guns and went upstairs to
the attic. The defendant still hoped to escape but saw a highway
patrol officer was stationed outside near the window he planned to
use in his escape. The defendant sat in the corner of the darkened
attic and laid his guns down on the floor. When Sheriff Caldwell
and his team finished conducting a sweep of the first floor, Deputy
Kenney and Copper, followed by Sheriff Caldwell, headed up the
stairs to the attic. Deputy Kenney stopped four or five steps from
the top of the stairs and released Copper's leash, allowing him to
search the attic. The defendant saw Copper come into the attic and
he grabbed his .12 gauge shotgun. Copper briefly walked around the
attic but did not notice the defendant in the corner. Copper walked
back to Deputy Kenney, who was hidden from the defendant's view.
Deputy Kenney grabbed Copper and told him to lie down in a voice
audible to the defendant. The defendant testified that he then saw
one hand come into view to pet the top of the dog's head. When the
defendant saw the bill of a cap and the end of what he thought was a
gun come out from behind the corner, he raised his gun and fired.
After the shot was fired, the dog began running toward the
defendant. The defendant shot the dog once with his shotgun, but the
dog continued to run toward him, so he shot him a second time and
killed him. The bullet fired at Deputy Kenney passed through a light
switch and the plywood wall. The bullet and various smaller
projectiles from the light switch and wall hit Deputy Kenney on the
right side of his head, causing loss of consciousness immediately.
The shot threw Deputy Kenney backwards into Sheriff Caldwell,
causing both of them to fall down the stairs. The fall caused
Sheriff Caldwell to suffer cuts to his nose and his hand, the latter
requiring three to four stitches. Sheriff Caldwell dragged Deputy
Kenney out to the back porch, where a first responder, Arnold Knoettgen, soon arrived and began treating him. Sheriff Caldwell
returned to the house and instructed Detective Kemp to shoot teargas
rounds through the upstairs windows to force the defendant out. Four
rounds of teargas were fired into the attic. Sheriff Caldwell and
the other officers began yelling to the defendant, telling him that
if he came down they would guarantee his safety. After a few
minutes, the defendant walked down the steps and was arrested.
Deputy Kenney was still alive at this point but had shallow
breathing and a weak pulse. Pam Kemp, Director of Emergency Medical
Services at the Clay Center Hospital, soon arrived on the scene.
Deputy Kenney was rushed to the emergency room of Clay County
Medical Center where unsuccessful attempts were made to save his
life. Dr. Timothy Penner pronounced Deputy Kenney dead at 4:50 p.m.
The official cause of death was a shotgun injury to the head which
caused "interruption of the brain" and loss of blood. There is evidence
supporting Kemp's contention that Kenney did not have his gun drawn. The
evidence custody receipt which listed the items found on Deputy Kenney's
person at the time of his death, included his Beretta .40 caliber
handgun. Sheriff Caldwell also testified that as a former police dog
handler, he knew that it was common procedure for a dog handler who has
backup to leave his or her weapon in the holster. Examination of the
circumstances in this case demonstrates that the defendant used the most
powerful gun he owned, a .12 gauge shotgun loaded with the most powerful
ammunition he owned, a slug round. The defendant's actions before
and after the killing also provide evidence of premeditation. He
admitted to grabbing the guns on his way upstairs after seeing the
officers outside his house and then seeing them come into his residence.
All three guns were found loaded and ready to fire. The defendant
admitted that he did not want to go back to jail and that he knew the
officers were coming to arrest him. After shooting Deputy Kenney, the
defendant shot the police dog twice, and he did not give himself up
until after tear gas rounds were fired into the attic. Deputy Kenney had been in law
enforcement for 15 years with Clay County Sheriffs in Kansas.
Deputy Kenney is survived by his wife Shirley Thompson; son Robert
Kenney; daughters Julie Page and Suzanne Shields; stepson Dennis
Pickering; and stepdaughters Christi Sanders, Cathy Weaver, and Wendi
Holt.
After Hebert's court
appearance, Hebert was transferred to the Geary County Jail in Junction
City, where he was held in lieu of $750,000 bond. Jeffery F.
Hebert
was found guilty on all counts January 16, 2004. He waived
his right to contest a sentence below the statutory maximum and
stipulated to the aggravating factors for the purposes of a hard 50
sentence. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision in the
sentencing phase of the trial. The trial court found that the defendant
"knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person" and
that the defendant "committed the crime in order to avoid or prevent a
lawful arrest." Based on these aggravating circumstances, the trial
court sentenced the defendant to life in prison without the possibility
of parole for 50 years on the capital murder charge.

Officer John Michael
Richardson
April 29, 1999 -
Nashville, Tennessee - Age 26
On April 28, 1999, Officer Michael Richardson, 26, was involved in a serious traffic accident while driving with his K-9 Tossy in their police vehicle while heading home when he struck a bridge on interstate 40. Officer Richardson
succumbed from accident related injuries the following day, April 29,
1999. Tossy only received minor injuries. Officer Richardson was a 3 1/2
year veteran of the department in Nashville Tennessee. Prior to working
for the Nashville International Airport Department of Public Safety,
Officer Richardson was employed by the So. Carthage, TN Police
Department. His service with the airport included police, airport rescue
fire fighting and emergency medical treatment. In January 1998 Officer
Richardson was selected as the department's first K-9 Handler under a
joint program with the Federal Aviation Administration. Mike quickly
established a standard of performance that is renowned in the industry.
Mike Richardson was a friend to everyone with a special love for dogs
and horses. He is survived by his wife Tammy and two young daughters.
An Officer Mike Richardson Memorial Fund is being established to erect a
permanent memorial at the entrance of the Nashville International
Airport Department of Public Safety. Donations will be received by the
department at 921 Airport Service Road, Nashville, TN 37214.

Chief Richard Leon
Duncan
August 13, 1998 -
Decatur, Arkansas - Age 56
Chief of Police Duncan,
56, was killed in a head-on collision on August 13, 1998 while driving his canine unit. His
canine loyally stayed with him until rescue units arrived. He had been
in law enforcement for 28 years. He served with the Decatur Police
Department in Arizona.

Deputy Sheriff Mike J.
Metroka
December 15, 1997 -
Broward County, Florida - Age 39

Deputy Michael Metroka,
39, served Broward Sheriff's Office in Florida for 10 years. In 1996 he
became a K-9 deputy. While on duty on November 29, 1997, Deputy Metroka
was struck in his vehicle by a hit-and-run driver near Pompano Beach.
His canine partner Woedon was with him when the crash occurred. The dog
survived the impact and remained at Deputy Metroka's side until he could
be extracted from the wreckage. The suspect, a convicted felon, got out
of his vehicle and approached the cruiser before fleeing the scene after
removing a gun from his wrecked rental car. K9 Woedon, Deputy Metroka's
partner, exited the vehicle and chased the suspect before returning to
stay with him until rescue crews arrived. Deputy Metroka
succumbed to his injuries on December 15, 1997. He is survived by his
wife.
The suspect was captured a short time later and
has been charged with manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon and other charges.

Sergeant William Earl
Godwin
May 22, 1997 -
Morrisville, North Carolina - Age 32

Sergeant Godwin, 32, was killed May
22, 1997 in an accident while responding to a call involving a
disgruntled employee with a gun at a limousine service company. This call was the second time officers
had been dispatched to the scene. While en route with his unmarked Range Rover
he collided with
a Honda driven by
Patricia Ettson of Apex. The
police vehicle rolled over at the intersection
killing Sergeant Goodwin.
Ettson was
not injured. The crash occurred as Ettson pulled into the intersection
of McCrimmon Parkway and Church Street in Morrisville. Ettson told
authorities she had come to a complete stop before proceeding north on
McCrimmon. Police said Godwin was driving west on Church Street. She
said she heard no siren and saw no flashing lights, even thought the
Range Rover was equipped lights and siren. Construction workers near the
scene of the accident said they heard no siren before the car and Range
Rover collided. His canine partner, Gray, survived the accident. Godwin's
canine partner was not injured and the dog jumped out of Godwin's
vehicle and ran back to the town police station. Sergeant Godwin
had served with the Morrisville Police Department in North Carolina for
9 years. Approximately forty canine officers and their K9'S
attended the funeral service. Sergeant Goddwin's K-9 Partner Gray retired shortly after
the accident and went to live with the Godwin family. He is survived by his wife
Allison and his 8-month-old daughter Mercedes.
North Carolina Highway
Patrol investigated and announced there will be no criminal charges
filed in the incident.

Senior Patrol Officer Dick
Vernon Hobson Jr.
June 10, 1996 -
Tulsa, Oklahoma - Age 45

Officer Hobson, 45,
was shot and killed June 10, 1996 and another officer was shot and
wounded in the leg after responding to the scene of a robbery. At 2135
hours three men robbed a fast food restaurant at 1400 South Peoria.
Shortly after the three robbers fled, a stolen white Mitsubishi was
wrecked on I-44 near the scene of the robbery. A man was seen running
from the wrecked car with a rifle. When Canine Officer Hobson and Steve
Downie, 38, responded to the scene and couldn't find the suspect they
exited the vehicle and entered an alley on foot with their K-9. As they
searched, the suspect jumped out from behind a bush and shot at the
officers with a 20 gauge shotgun. Officer Hobson was shot in the chest
and killed and Officer Downie was struck in the leg and recovered from
his wounds. Three other officers at the scene returned fire and killed
the robbery suspect, Steven Michael Williams, 21. Dino, Officer
Hobson's canine, was not injured and was retired and given to Officer
Hobson's family. Officer Hobson was not wearing his vest at the time of
the incident. Officer Hobson, served Tulsa Police Department in
Oklahoma for 18 years. He is survived by his wife, son & daughter.

Trooper James A.
Griffith
April 16, 1996 - Maine
State Police - Age 34

Trooper Griffith, 34 was
killed on April 16,1996 after his cruiser was struck by an ice truck.
Trooper Griffith was making a U-turn on a two lane road in pursuit of a
speeding vehicle and did not see
the truck which struck his cruiser on the driver side door. He was
pronounced dead at the scene. Trooper Griffith was a canine officer
whose dog was slightly injured in the accident. Trooper Griffith was
with the Maine State Police for 10 years. Trooper Griffith was survived by his wife
and four children.

Officer Lee E. Barta
August 3, 1995 -
Binghamton, New York - Age 29

K9 Officer Barta, 29, was
shot and killed August 3, 1995 while searching for a work release
suspect. The suspect Edmond E. Travis III, 18 committed suicide by
shooting himself hours later in a house surrounded by officers as they
closed in near the shooting site. Officer Barta’s K-9 partner, Ben,
attended the funeral service along with over 3,000 mourners. Officer
Barta served with the Binghamton police Department in New York.
Patrolman Barta is survived by his expectant wife Mary, son Daniel, and daughter
Kellie.
His second son was born eight months after his murder.

Agent Louis Pompei
June 9, 1995 - San Dimas, California - Age 30

Agent Louis Pompei, 30,
was shot and killed on June 9th 1995 while entering a supermarket, Vons,
in San Dimas, while off duty at 2030 hours to cash his paycheck and pick
up dog food for his K9 “Dios” in his home city. Agent Pompei while in
the checkout line attempted to stop a robbery by taking action when the
suspects began to threaten the life of a mentally-disabled employee boy
who was being pistol whipped. When he tried to help, two robbers shot
him in the chest, leg and abdomen, as he traded fire, wounding both who
were later arrested at a local hospital. Pompei died two hours later at
San Dimas Community Hospital. Agent Louis Pompei
started the Glendora Police Department's first canine unit. Born and
raised in Pennsylvania, Pompei graduated from Mahanoy City High School
in 1982. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal
justice administration from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania in
1986. He was hired as a police officer trainee by the Glendora Police
Department in 1987 and attended the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Academy,
graduating on March 4, 1988. He was appointed to the rank of agent in
1995. A memorial to Pompei was erected near the spot where he was
killed. Pompei's funeral service drew 2,000 people. Agent Pompei had
been with the agency for eight years and was survived by his fiancée
Tracey Taylor-Careaga.
The two robbers, ages 16 and 17 at the time of the
crime, were sentenced to life in prison without parole and the getaway
driver was sentenced to 26 years to life.

Officer John Paul “Bo” Marcellus
January 15,1995 – Fort Worth, Texas - Age 44

Officer John Paul Marcellus, 44, of Azle was
killed approximately 7:00 p.m. in a vehicle accident on January 15, 1995
while off duty in North Richland Hills, Texas. Officer Marcellus, a Fort
Worth police officer, was on his way home from watching the Dallas
Cowboys game with his son who he left with his grandmother before
leaving in his red Volkswagen which was struck by a truck and run off
the road as he drove west on the Northeast Loop of Interstate 820 near Rufe Snow Road. Jimmy Lewis White, 29, a plumber, was arrested when he
returned to the scene minutes later after running into two more
vehicles. Jimmy White of Gainesville was charged at the time with
intoxication manslaughter for suspected of drunken driving in the
traffic death of officer Marcellus. Jimmy Lewis White had a previous
DWI conviction. And test results indicate that Jimmy Lewis White's
blood-alcohol content was 0.25, more than twice the legal level, when
the accident occurred with Officer Marcellus. Officer Marcellus was in
law enforcement for twenty years. Officer Marcellus leaves behind his
wife Rose Mary Marcellus, his son 11 year old son Justin, his daughter
Regina Marcellus and his K9 partner “Argo”. His K9 partner was then
given to Officer Brad Thompson.
On October 1, 1998, three years after K9 Argo
was given to his new handler Brad Thompson an incident
unfolded. A Texas State Trooper, Earl Dub Gillum, was on routine patrol
at approximately 8:35 p.m. when he spotted a white Ford pickup truck
speeding 83 mph in a 55 mph zone. The truck was also weaving in and out
of traffic recklessly. As Trooper Gillum approached the vehicle he had
just stopped and was within eight feet of the drivers door, the driver,
Charlie Edward Cook, 23, rolled down his window and asked the trooper
what was wrong and he then fired ten shots from a 22 caliber pistol
within three seconds at Trooper Gillum. The first shot struck Trooper
Gillum’s hat just above his forehead. The second shot pierced Trooper
Gillum’s temple damaging both his eyes. The third, fourth and fifth
rounds struck Trooper Gillum’s left forearm, flashlight and clip board.
The sixth and seventh rounds hit Trooper Gillum’s left hip and the
eighth, ninth and tenth rounds struck him in the back in his vest. As
Trooper Gillum stumbled and fell on the roadway, vehicles swerved to
avoid hitting him and the suspect drove off. A passerby stopped and used
Trooper Gillum’s radio to call for help at 8:37 p.m. Trooper Gillum
spent two weeks in Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth and the next
14 months at home. He had six eye surgeries to save and repair his
eyesight. He is legally blind in his right eye and his left eye has
20/50 vision. K9 Argo was later tracking the wanted felon, Charlie
Cook, in a heavily wooded area when Cook fired three shots, the first
shot hitting K9 Argo in the throat. The second and third shots hit
Officer Thompson in the thigh and chest. Officer Thompson returned fire
striking Charlie Cook. Cook was rushed to a hospital where he died
approximately 10:00 p.m. Officer Thompson rushed K9 Argo to the vet
where he died the next morning on October 3, 1998. Canine Argo was nine
years old and scheduled to be retired in October.
Argo is
credited with saving the lives of the other officers that were on the
scene. Because of his actions, Argo was awarded the Police Cross and the
Medal of Valor. Charlie Cook had
previous warrants in Tarrant County for aggravated robbery with a
firearm, aggravated assault on a public servant, and possession of a
prohibited weapon. Cook was also involved in two police car chases, one
being over one hour long when a gas station was robbed.
On February 17, 1995 the wife and daughter of
officer Marcellus filed suit against Jimmy Lewis White involved in the
crash and the club they say served him liquor and were seeking
unspecified damages against Jimmy Lewis White and owners of the Bronco's
Sports Bar & Grill at the time. On August 10, 1995, Jimmy Lewis White
testified that faulty brakes on his pickup, not alcohol, caused the
accident when he testified for more than an hour before a 12-member
Tarrant County jury. Jimmy Lewis White said he was not intoxicated when
he left a Bedford sports bar and got into an accident that killed
officer Marcellus. He testified he drank eight or nine beers in about
seven hours Jan. 15, the day of the accident. Kathryn Wyatt, 18,
testified that she was driving 68 mph when Jimmy Lewis blew by her and
struck three cars. Jimmy Lewis’s attorney Robert Rose argued White was
not drunk and a day before the verdict, he brought in an expert who gave
testimony that test-tube fermentation - not beer drinking - caused his
high blood-alcohol level. Defense expert witness John T. Castle told
jurors that blood taken from White after the accident surely had been
infiltrated by airborne yeast floating in the atmosphere. Yeast, of
course, causes sugar to ferment, and that's what it did to the sugar
naturally present in White's blood sample. The alcohol found in White's
blood, the expert testified, actually grew there after the blood was
drawn from White's body. He testified that airborne yeast contaminated
Jimmy Lewis White's blood sample, which measured more than twice the
legal limit. In closing arguments, Rose
told the jury the test must have been flawed. It would take at least 28
beers for White's blood alcohol to register at .25, he claimed; with
that much beer in him, White would have been a staggering drunk. Yet the
police had reported only a relatively slight appearance of intoxication.
The accident, the speeding, the weaving in and out of traffic and the
three cars White hit with his truck, Rose argued were all caused by
faulty brakes. Jurors acquitted Jimmy
Lewis White on August 11, 1995, in a decision that stunned both
sides, a jury acquitted Jimmy Lewis White of intoxication manslaughter
in the death of Officer Marcellus after four hours of deliberations. On
November 8, 1996, in a civil trial, the jury of 10 women and two men
concluded after ten hours of deliberations that Jimmy Lewis White - not
a Bedford sports bar that served him liquor - was responsible for a car
accident that killed Officer Marcellus. They awarded more than $12
million in damages to the officer's mother and daughter. Jurors absolved
Bronco Sports Bar & Grill of responsibility in the accident - just
minutes after the bar reached an out-of-court settlement in the lawsuit.
Jimmy White was ordered to pay $2 million in compensatory damages to the
family of Officer Marcellus. Jurors awarded $445,000 to the victim's
mother and $645,000 to his daughter, Regina Marcellus and $10 million in
punitive damages.

Officer Timothy James
Jones
August 26, 1994 - St.
Paul, Minnesota - Age 36

Officer Jones, 36, and his canine, Laser, were shot and killed, August 26,
1994, after being ambushed by the suspect who had murdered Officer Ron
Ryan earlier in the day. The ambush happened while Officer Jones and his
canine were searching for the suspect. The actual events started to
unfold approximately 6:55 a.m. when St. Paul dispatch received a call
for a check of a person in a vehicle in the lot of the Sacred Heart
Church at Sixth and Hope. The first officer arrived at the scene and was
called away for another priority call. Officer Ryan volunteered to take
the original call. When Officer Ryan approached the suspect’s vehicle
he woke the individual. The suspect identified himself via his passport
as Guy Harvey Baker and had a gun hidden under a coat in his hand that
he was using as a blanket. Baker had a warrant out for his arrest.
Baker began to fire at Officer Ryan repeatedly and was hit three times
in the torso and once in the head killing him at 6:58 a.m. Baker then removed Officer Ryan’s
service weapon from his holster. He then returned to his vehicle to
leave the area but it wouldn’t start. He was able to push it down a
hill and get it running. A citizen who witnessed the shooting armed
himself and fired three times at the fleeing vehicle hitting it and
shattering the rear window. Baker then drove to the rear of a liquor
store on Hudson Road, parked the vehicle, and changed his clothing.
While Baker was fleeing he came upon a garage and ice fishing shack at
the rear of 1124 Conway. The ice shack had a crawl space for Baker to
crawl underneath and slide up inside without unlocking the door from the
outside. The ice shack had a strip of Plexiglas all the way around it
for him to observe what was happening around him. Officer Jones had
volunteered to come in on his time off to search for Baker with his K-9
partner Laser. Laser had picked up Bakers scent outside the fish
shack. The whole time Baker was observing K-9 Laser and Officer Jones.
As soon as Officer Jones looked through the window, Baker fired and
Officer Jones went down immediately with a fatal head wound at 10:25
a.m. and had no
chance to defend himself. Baker then exited the fish house and was
attacked by Laser. Baker shot Laser four times. Baker then recovered
Officer Jones’s service weapon. Baker then hid under a pile of lumber
and rubbish next to a porch at 1129 Euclid. Several officers observed
Baker in his hiding place and was placed under arrest. Officer Jones had been with the St.
Paul Police Department in Missouri for 16 years. He is survived by his
wife and two children.
The
suspect pled guilty to murdering both Officer Ryan and Officer Jones and
was sentenced to life without parole.

Game Warden William F. Hanrahan
November 21, 1992 – Maine – Age 49

Game Warden Hanrahan suffered a fatal heart attack on November 21, 1992
while investigating reports or drunken hunters in the woods. William Hanrahan had worked for the Maine Department of Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife. His wife, four sons and his K9 "Major" survive him.

Sgt. Pedro Antonio Cainas
November 19, 1992 –
Hialeah, Florida – Age 34
Officer Pedro "Pete" Cainas, 34, was
dispatched to a neighbor dispute at 1655 West 44 Place in Hialeah,
Florida at approximately 11:05 p.m. on November 13 where he was met by complainant Abel Fernandez. Fernandez had
just informed officers that he had engaged in an argument with his
neighbor Esteban Quintanal. The officers then went to Quintanal's
apartment door and knocked for over two minutes. Quintanal responded by
firing a single gunshot through the closed door striking Officer Cainas
in the back of the head. Arriving Officers entered Quintanal's
apartment and subsequently took him into custody. Quintanal suffered
broken ribs and a head wound that required 21 stitches to close during
the struggle. Officer Cainas lingered in a coma for six days
and expired on November 19, 1992. Pete started his law enforcement
career in 1979 who was hired by Riviera Beach Police Department and
worked their undercover narcotics.
In 1980, Pete worked for the Miami Springs Police Department nine months
before leaving for the Hialeah Police Department.
In his ten years working for the Hialeah
Police Department, Pete was a K9 Officer and Auto Theft / Burglary
Detective. In 1985, Pete continued his legal career and studied
law at the University of Miami. He graduated from law school and
received his law degree in May of 1991. He worked as a Miami-Dade
Assistant State Attorney but, returned to the Hialeah Police Department
October 25, 1992.
Pete was killed
three weeks later on November 19, 1992. Hialeah's main commercial
street, W 49 Street, was renamed "Sgt. Pedro Cainas Drive" in 1995.
Esteban Quintanal was charged and convicted of second degree murder and
was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Cpl. Terence O'Neill
May 25, 1991-
Mill, Belfast - Age 44
Corporal Terence O'Neill, 44, was killed when a grenade was thrown over
the wall of his base. He had just finished feeding his dog and had been
speaking with Corporal Darren Swift, another dog handler, when the
attack took place. Corporal Swift lost both legs in the explosion.
Corporal O'Neill was
had served 22 years, and was due to retire from the Army
within 6 months.
Officer Scott Adams Winters
July
29, 1990 -
Pompano Beach, Florida - Age 28
Officer Scott Winters was shot and killed with his own weapon on the
evening of July 29th, 1990. The incident unfolded when Thelma Johnson
reported that Albert Holland approached her and asked her if she had a
hitter (a device used to smoke cocaine). Johnson stated that she did
not, but proceeded to lead Holland to a wooded area with the intention
of smoking cocaine together. Holland then smoked the first half of his
cocaine rock off of a beer can, but Johnson refrained because she did
not like that method of smoking. After smoking the second half of the
rock, Holland became violent. Holland shoved Johnson to the ground,
held her down, and hit her on the side of the head with a bottle while
she begged him not to kill her. As Holland beat her, he repeatedly
threatened to kill her. Holland ripped Johnson’s shirt and unzipped his
pants. Holland forced Johnson to give him oral sex. When Johnson
protested and stopped, Holland beat her until she was unconscious.
Holland stopped beating Johnson and left the scene when a witness yelled
for Holland to stop before he killed her. Johnson had a severed ear, a
fractured skull, and multiple cuts on her face, which required extensive
plastic surgery. Police officers responded to a call regarding the
attack and began the search for the perpetrator. Officer Winters and his
K-9 partner, Baron, were searching for a suspect just south of Martin
Luther King Boulevard following the rape and beating of a young Pompano
Beach woman. Officer Winters was in his patrol car with his K9 partner
"Baron" when he asked Holland to approach the vehicle. Officer Winters
exited the patrol car and instructed Holland to put his hands on the
car. Holland complied with the request. As Winters reached down to use
the radio on his belt, Holland turned and took a swing aimed at Winters’
head. A struggle ensued and Winters got Holland in a headlock. Winters
repeatedly tried to put Holland on the ground by using his nightstick,
but Holland rose and turned, causing the combatants to face each other. Holland
kept trying to get Officer Winters gun and at one point Officer Winters
was seen pushing Hollands hand down over the gun to try and stop him
from removing it. Holland was having a hard time removing the gun from
the holster because it was latched. Officer Winters was also seen trying
to open his patrol car door to release his canine "Barron" but could
not. Holland got a hold of Officer Winters gun when he slid Winters belt
with the holster to the front of Officer Winters and was then able to
remove it from the holster. When
Holland managed to take Winters’ gun he shot the officer twice below
his vest before he fled the scene. Officer Winters was shot in the lower
stomach and in the groin area. Police officers stated that Winters
requested backup at 7:25 p.m. and reported being shot at 7:26 p.m. When
officers arrived at the scene, Winters’ gun was missing. Winters died at
8:30 p.m. as a result of gunshot wounds. One of the bullets destroyed
his left iliac artery which caused him to bleed to death. Officer
Winters was a member of the Pompano Beach Police Department for three
years. Officer Winters funeral was attended by two thousand people and
84 canine officers with their canines. Officer Winters was survived by his wife.
Albert Holland, 36, was
arrested and charged. On 8/16/90 the defendant was indicted for
first degree murder, robbery with a firearm, sexual battery and
attempted murder with a deadly weapon. On 8/2/91 Albert Holland was
found guilty by trial jury on all counts. On 8/12/91 the jury
recommended death by a vote of eleven to one. On 8/18/93 Albert Holland
was sentenced to death for first degree murder, 17 years for robbery
with a firearm, life sentence for sexual battery, and 40 years for
attempted murder with a deadly weapon. During Albert Holland's second
trial on11/6/96 he was found guilty as charged to first degree murder,
robbery with a firearm, and attempted murder with a deadly weapon but
was convicted of a lesser charge for attempted sexual battery. On
11/15/96 the jury recommended death by a eight to four vote. On 2/7/97
he was sentenced to death for first degree murder, life sentence for
robbery with a firearm, 15 years for attempted sexual battery and 30
years for attempted murder with a deadly weapon. The sentencing judge
was the Honorable M. Daniel Futch, Jr.
A second Direct
Appeal was filed on 02/20/97. Issues that were raised included
whether the trial court erred in denying him the opportunity to
represent himself; whether the trial court abused its discretion in
denying Holland’s motion to exclude the testimony of the State’s
mental health experts; whether the trial court abused its discretion
in overruling Holland’s objections to the admissibility of a
videotape interrogation of Holland. The Florida Supreme Court found
all of the claims either without merit or harmless and affirmed the
convictions and sentences, including the sentence of Death, on
10/05/00.
A Petition for
Writ of Certiorari was filed on 05/04/01 and denied on 10/01/01. A
3.851 Motion was filed with the circuit court on 09/17/02 and denied
on 05/16/03. A 3.851 Motion Appeal was filed with the Florida
Supreme Court on 06/09/03, raising claims of ineffective assistance
of counsel. On 11/10/05, the FSC affirmed the denial of the
motion. A Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus was filed with the
Florida Supreme Court on 01/09/04, raising claims of ineffective
assistance of counsel. On 11/10/05, the FSC denied the petition. A
Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus was filed with the U.S. District
Court, Southern district, on 01/24/06. As of 04/27/07, this
petition was dismissed as untimely filed. A Certificate of
Appealability was granted on 07/18/07. A Petition for Writ of
Certiorari was filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on 02/08/06 and
denied on 04/17/06. A Habeas Corpus Appeal was filed in the U.S.
Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit on 08/01/07 that was
denied on 01/30/09. A Petition for Writ of Certiorari was filed with
the U.S. Supreme Court on 05/13/09. This case is pending.
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