East Orange Police Department, New Jersey
End of Watch: Wednesday, October 6, 1965
Age: 57
Tour of Duty: 27 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 6, 1965
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Sergeant Willliam Connelly was shot and killed on North 18th Street while attempting to arrest a man for driving a stolen car at about noon.
The two began to struggle after the man got out of the stolen car and Sergeant Connolly was then shot.
The 32-year-old suspect was apprehended by FBI agents in Newark in March of 1966. The suspect, at one time a popular boxer, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life at hard labor on December 9, 1966.
Sergeant Connelly had been employed with the East Orange Police Department for 27 years.