California Highway Patrol, California
End of Watch: Thursday, March 9, 1944
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 9, 1944
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Sergeant Forest Underwood was shot and killed by a robbery suspect.
He was writing a parking citation at Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue when a taxi cab suddenly stopped next to him. The driver jumped out and yelled that there was a robber inside his cab. The subject jumped out of the cab and fired at Sergeant Underwood. He returned fire but missed the subject. As he lay dying, he was able to write down the license plate and a description of the murderer at the bottom of the citation he had been writing.
The 18-year-old suspect, known as the "Cry Baby Bandit," forced two women to drive him away from the scene. He was arrested two weeks later in San Francisco.
On June 19, 1944, the high school honor student was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping and sentenced to life in prison plus 26 years without the possibility of parole.
Sergeant Underwood had served with the California Highway Patrol for at least four years. He was survived by his wife and son.