Greenville Police Department, Kentucky
End of Watch: Sunday, June 27, 1999
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 27, 1999
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to four life terms
Police Officer Joey Vincent was shot and killed after being ambushed by a suspect to whom he served a mental health warrant on a week earlier.
The suspect, who was also Officer Vincent's cousin, had been released from the hospital for three days when he murdered his father and mother. The next morning, the suspect ambushed Officer Vincent in his driveway as he and his wife were taking their 2-year-old daughter to the emergency room.
The suspect fired a rifle from a window in his mother's house, which was next door to Officer Vincent's house, striking Officer Vincent in the head. He then walked across the yard and shot and killed Officer Vincent's wife as well before taking their daughter hostage. He surrendered to police several hours later.
In February 2001, the suspect plead guilty to murder in order to avoid the death penalty. He was sentenced to four life terms without the possibility of parole.
Officer Vincent had served with the Greenville Police Department for eight years. He is survived by his daughter and parents.