Hayward Police Department, California
End of Watch: Wednesday, March 25, 1987
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: 360
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: March 25, 1987
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: 25 years to life
Officer Ben Worcester was stabbed to death while investigating a suspicious person several blocks from the police station.
The suspect had parked his camper in front of a home on Elmurst Street and Broadmore Avenue, and neighbors became suspicious, so they called the police. Officer Worcester and two other officers arrived and asked the suspect to come out of the camper, but he refused. A struggle ensued after making contact with the suspect.
The suspect was able to get behind Officer Worcester, produced a kitchen knife, and began stabbing him in the vest several times. He then stabbed Officer Worcester in the neck, killing him.
The suspect, 44, who had recently been released after spending nine years in prison for killing a couple and was on probation for biting a sheriff's deputy, was convicted of Officer Worcester's murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. He was denied parole on February 8, 2002, and in 2018. In October 2022, he waived his right to a parole hearing for one year; however, he was granted medical parole in December 2022.
Officer Worcester had served with the Hayward Police Department for five years. He was survived by his daughter, ex-wife, brother, sister, and fiancée.
He is buried in the Chapel Of The Chimes Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Union City, California.