Opelika Police Department, Alabama
End of Watch: Wednesday, June 3, 1970
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 3, 1970
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Paroled; deceased
Lieutenant Moitt Truitt was shot and killed after he and other officers went to a residence to check on a person who had not been heard from in a while.
A relative of the person crawled through a window and unlocked door. Lieutenant Truitt followed and was walking through the house calling out for the reident and identifying himself as a police officer. As he opened a closed door to one of the bedrooms he was struck by a shotgun blast at close range. The resident had been drunk for several days and was suffering from DT's. The resident/assailant was wounded after exchanging fire with other responding officers.
Lieutenant Truitt had served with the agency for 7 years. He was survived by his wife and three children.