Verona Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Thursday, January 19, 1967
Age: 54
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: January 19, 1967
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Not available
Lieutenant Joseph Rafay suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with a suspect at the scene of a disturbance at a bar in the 700 block of East Railroad Street, shortly before 10:30 pm. He, another officer, and the suspect fell to the ground during the struggle as they were escorting the suspect outside. When Lieutenant Rafay stood back up he collapsed. He was transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh where he was pronounced dead.
Lieutenant Rafay was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII and had served with the Verona Police Department for 20 years. He was survived by his wife and child.