Investigator Antonio Joselito (Joe) Sapinoso
Greenville County Sheriff's Office
South Carolina
End of Watch: Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Biographical Info
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 663

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, April 2, 2003
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death

Investigator Sapinoso was shot and killed after being taken hostage when he arrived home from his shift.

He was in uniform and exiting his patrol car when the suspect, who had been involved in a domestic disturbance with Investigator Sapinoso's sister, approached him at gunpoint and disarmed him. Investigator Sapinoso had intervened in the previous incident as a deputy and as her brother.

The suspect handcuffed Investigator Sapinoso with the deputy's own handcuffs. He took him inside his home where he forced the deputy to call his father into the living room. The suspect held both men at gunpoint for several hours during a standoff with SWAT officers. At 4:20 am, the suspect told negotiators he was coming out of the house but then, without warning, shot and killed Investigator Sapinoso and his father. The suspect then surrendered.

The man was convicted of Investigator Sapinoso's murder and was sentenced to death.

Investigator Sapinoso had served with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office for 6 years, and was assigned to the White Collar Crime Unit.

He is survived by his mother and sister.