Parma Heights Police Department, Ohio
End of Watch: Wednesday, October 25, 1972
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 15 years, 4 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 25, 1972
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Sergeant Robert Bennett was shot and killed while responding to a bank robbery at 1:15 p.m.
The two suspects were dressed as police officers, taking a woman hostage as they fled the Continental Bank at 6809 W. 130th Street in Parma. Sergeant Bennett arrived at the robbery scene as one of the suspects, and the hostage exited the rear door. The suspect and Sergeant Bennett exchanged fire, and both were fatally wounded.
The other suspect was captured at the scene. In 1941, he was sent to prison for killing a man in Cleveland and was paroled in 1968. He was convicted of Sergeant Bennett's murder and sentenced to 102 years in prison on May 3, 1973.
Sergeant Bennett was a United States Navy WWII veteran and had served with the Parma Heights Police Department for over 15 years. He was survived by his wife and six children.