St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Missouri
End of Watch: Monday, March 4, 1963
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 4, 1963
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Police Officer Donald Sparks was shot and killed after stopping a robbery suspect at Grand Boulevard and Castleman Avenue following a grocery store robbery.
The suspect, 32, was arrested several hours later by other officers. The ex-convict was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The Missouri Supreme Court awarded him a new trial and he was sentenced to life.
Officer Sparks had been with the agency for ten years and was survived by his wife and 9-year-old daughter.