Metro-Dade Police Department, Florida
End of Watch: Monday, November 28, 1988
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: 4066
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 28, 1988
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Murdered in prison
Police Officer Richard Boles and Police Officer David Strzalkowski were shot and killed after responding to a call in a trailer park at Northeast 200th Street and West Dixie Highway.
The call turned out to be a fake call made by a paroled felon intended to have officers respond. When they located the complainant, the man attacked them with a piece of pipe before gaining control of Officer Boles' service weapon. He opened fire, fatally wounding both officers. During the struggle, the officers were able to put out a distress call and the responding officers arrested the man.
The subject had been released from prison 10 days earlier after serving seven years of a 15-year sentence for attempted murder. On August 9th, 1990, he was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. On April 19th, 1995, he and another death row inmate were stabbed to death by two fellow inmates in the exercise yard at the Florida State Penitentiary.
Officer Boles had served with the Metro-Dade Police Department for four years and previously served with the Golden Beach Police Department and Seminole Department of Law Enforcement. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. His brother was also a police officer in Florida.