Mobile County Sheriff's Office, Alabama
End of Watch: Monday, November 17, 1975
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 17, 1975
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Deputy Sheriff Robert Stolz and Deputy Sheriff David Beck were shot and killed while searching a wooded area for two men who had fired a shotgun at another deputy who was pursuing them.
Deputy Stoltz and Deputy Beck were the first deputies to arrive in the area near the Mississippi line in western Mobile County. The subjects opened fire on both deputies, killing Deputy Stoltz before he was able to draw his weapon. Deputy Beck was also fatally wounded in the exchange of shots.
One of the subjects was found dead, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The other man was apprehended and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. In 1989 and again in 1992, he received new trials and was sentenced to life each time. He was denied parole on March 20th, 2019, and died in prison in 2023.
Deputy Stolz had served with the Mobile County Sheriff's Office for two years. He was a United States Navy veteran and was one of the first crewmen of the USS Kittyhawk. He is survived by his wife and son.