Bio & Incident Details
Age: 39
Tour: 14 years
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 8/10/1975
Weapon: Shotgun
Suspect: Four convicted of murder
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Sergeant Wallace Mowbray was shot and killed during a traffic stop near Chester, Maryland. He was checking a license plate over the radio when he was struck by a shotgun blast. The license plates turned out to be stolen and two of the four occupants had warrants out for their arrest.
All four suspects fled from the scene. Two suspects, who were later convicted of doing the shooting, kidnapped a couple in Chester, took their car, and raped the woman. They were captured several hours later. The other two suspects stole a boat and headed toward the Western Shore. They were captured two days later.
All four suspects were convicted of Sergeant Mowbray's murder. One of the suspects convicted of doing the shooting was sentenced to life plus 95 years for rape, kidnapping, and other crimes committed before and after Sergeant Mowbray's murder. In 1982 he escaped from prison and was placed on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. He was captured 14 months later. In 1991 he won a new trial which resulted in less serious convictions and a 27 year sentence. He was paroled in 1993. Four months later he was sent back to prison for four years when he violated his parole with a disorderly conduct charge. In 1999 he was sent back to prison again when he took money from a charity jar in a Glen Burnie, Maryland, cafe. On December 1, 2003, he was arrested and charged with robbing a Glen Burnie bank. He was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 20 years June 18, 2004.
The other suspect convicted of the shooting was sentenced to life in prison.
The third suspect was sentenced to 55 years and the fourth suspect was sentenced to 20 years.
Sergeant Mowbray had been a member of the Maryland State Police for almost 14 years.
